Wednesday night I checked my email. Mostly these days we are getting appeals to call or email our senators on the Republican trashing of the health care bill. Here’s a helpful hint on contacting them: call their offices in Iowa; Washington ain’t answering.
Right now the country is focused on what will be a catastrophic disaster for nearly every family in America of Republicans repealing the ACA in order to give huge tax cuts to the wealthy. It is hard to avoid any news about what tragedies may lie ahead if you are poor, middle class, young, old or simply anything but wealthy.
With most of America and much of Iowa facing a huge disruption in their lives that will be caused by Republican senators like her, Joni Ernst sends out one of her “Make ‘Em Squeal” emails. The idea of these is to show how our government has put itself into a huge debt hole by not managing their money very well.
Does Ernst deal with the impending disaster? Does she mention how some 23 million Americans and some nearly 100,000 Iowans will be forced to drop health insurance? Does she talk about how cutting Medicaid will endanger the lives of millions of Americans?
NO! Senator Ernst focuses on something much more insidious!
Squeal Award: Overpriced & Under-vetted Uniforms
Yep. This is what Ernst sees as something that will bring down the republic! Another boneheaded play by America’s bloated military establishment. Since congress, led by Republicans, refuses to ever do any auditing on the military FUBARs like this are daily occurrences.
An aside here – Ernst’s website, like those of many Republicans is nearly inaccessible. About the only way I have found to access it is to type ernst.senate.gov/public in the url line. Even from there access to her “Make ‘em Squeal” button is not accessible.
From the Ernst email:
The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction released a report this week detailing the DODs decision to purchase camouflage uniforms with a “forest” green color scheme. Unfortunately, only 2.1 percent of the total land area in Afghanistan is covered by forests.
Additionally, due to proprietary fees, the new camouflage pattern costs up to 43 percent more than similar alternatives already in use by the Afghan National Police. This decision added approximately $28 million to the cost of the Afghan National Army uniform purchase. By simply choosing a similar, non-proprietary camouflage pattern, the DOD could save taxpayers anywhere between $68 to $72 million over the next ten years. (ed. note: by my calculation that is @ 20 cents per American)
This poorly vetted use of taxpayer dollars is not only wasteful, but dangerous to the members of the Afghan National Army serving their country and protecting U.S. interests in the region. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I believe this is completely unacceptable and will continue working tirelessly to protect taxpayer dollars.
Therefore, I present this month’s Squeal Award to the Department of Defense for the Afghan National Army’s overpriced and under-vetted uniforms.
And we, the people of Iowa, who really hate stupidity in office award Joni Ernst our “WTF Too Stupid To Be In Office” award.
Now that Ernst has diverted our attention from the real problems of the country – taking away health care from millions, undermining regulations on financial institutions, the resurgent racism and anti-immigrant culture, and a president pushing for war – she probably thinks she can vote to take away health care with no one watching. She is wrong. We are watching!
When I think of waste in government, I think of paying the salaries of worthless senators who are only in Washington to do the bidding of their wealthy donors like the Koch brothers.
By Iowa Fiscal Partnership
6/22/17 Coverage losses in House AHCA sets low bar for Senate, White House;
AHCA would impose dramatically higher costs for Iowa and Iowa residents
{Ed. Note: The following are excerpts from a PDF posted by Peter Fisher at Iowa Fiscal Partnership}
The American Health Care Act (AHCA) passed by the House of Representatives would cut health insurance for nearly 200,000 Iowans in order to provide billions in tax cuts to wealthy individuals, drug companies, and insurance companies. Moreover, instead of fixing the problems with Iowa’s health insurance exchange, it would make those problems worse. As the Senate uses this legislation as the basis for its own proposal, supporters’ promises of more state flexibility and individual choice ring hollow. So-called “flexibility” means an enormous cost shift requiring the state to spend millions more and cut services. Meanwhile, “choice” for thousands of Iowans would be stark: go without health insurance that had become unaffordable, or go without basic necessities such as food.
The AHCA would fundamentally change Medicaid in two ways. First, it eventually would end the Affordable Care Act — or Obamacare — expansion of Medicaid, through which 150,000 low-income Iowans have gained coverage. Second, the AHCA would cut federal funding for the overall Medicaid program, which would force Iowa to find an estimated $336 million more in the state budget for 2023 in order to maintain current eligibility. Given Iowa’s chronic budget shortfalls, this is very unlikely to happen. As a result, the state would likely be forced to restrict Medicaid eligibility and cut benefits to children, the elderly and the disabled.
Altogether, some 191,100 Iowans — 38.1 percent of the nonelderly adult enrollees now served — could lose Medicaid under the House plan, according to new analysis by the Urban Institute.[1] This would make Iowa one of the biggest losers nationally, as only 11 states have greater shares of their Medicaid enrollees in jeopardy of losing coverage. Nationally, the loss is set at 1 in 4 enrollees.
The AHCA hits rural and elderly Iowans the hardest, both from the cuts in insurance subsidies and the cuts in Medicaid. In Iowa’s 78 counties outside metropolitan areas, a family of four with $40,000 income would face an average net increase in premiums (after subsidies) of $7,607 per year; their cost would about double. For an elderly couple with the same income, the increase would average $14,582. The likely loss of the Medicaid expansion would disproportionately harm rural Iowans, who are more likely to have health issues and difficulty paying for health care.
One of the most disingenuous claims by AHCA architects is that Americans with pre-existing medical conditions — now protected by the ACA — would keep that protection under AHCA. In fact, AHCA creates a state option to let insurance companies charge higher premiums and scale back coverage of now-required “essential health benefits.” The requirement that insurance companies cannot deny coverage is a hollow one, if they can simply price people out of it, or drop benefits they do not want to cover. And the fig-leaf funding provided by the bill would not nearly compensate for the costs to the millions facing these higher prices, including 1.3 million persons in Iowa with pre-existing conditions.
Let us remind you that something like 2/3rds of Medicaid money goes to the elderly, often to pay for their nursing home care after all of their funds have been exhausted. Based on Fisher’s analysis you can easily see that when that money dries up some decisions will have to be made about the care of the elderly by their families.
As reported here before Iowa is a filial responsibility state. That means simply that if your elderly parent continues to get care in a nursing home and their funds are exhausted, you are responsible for their bills.
The alternative would be to take the elderly parent back into your home and care for them yourselves. Let me tell you that is hard and thankless work. Many times the children of the elderly are approaching elderly status themselves.
The AHCA is not a health care bill; the AHCA is a wealth care bill for the likes of Donald Trump. It is primarily a tax cut bill for the very wealthiest Americans. Elizabeth Warren explained in best on the Senate floor when she spoke in opposition to this bill Thursday:
Well President Trump’s event in Cedar Rapids went as expected.
The President took the stage and spent the entire event bragging about problems he hasn’t solved, policy he has no knowledge of, and results that he hasn’t achieved.
President Trump doesn’t understand what the people of Iowa need. He hasn’t spent any time in the fields behind the wheel of a combine or in a classroom teaching children math and science. He doesn’t know what it is like to work from sunrise to sunset to earn an honest paycheck.
He proved it to us tonight. His comments on the reckless withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord show his lack of understanding on how vital clean energy is to Iowa. He mocked wind energy in the state with the 2nd highest wind energy production in the country.
Even more, Trump claimed, “The two parties should come together and come up with a great deal on healthcare.” That is coming from the highest office holder in a party holding secret, partisan negotiations on healthcare reform that will put 1.3 million Iowans at risk of losing their coverage. This is not a good example of “coming together”.
And what’s worse? Iowa GOP leaders are standing right there with Trump. Iowans need leaders who will represent Iowa values and not stand by while President Trump destroys all the progress we have made.
Regional directors from Senator Joni Ernst’s office will hold traveling office hours throughout the month of July in all 99 counties in Iowa.
Representatives will be available in counties throughout the state to assist Iowans with problems or questions about eligibility involving issues like Social Security, veterans’ benefits, military affairs, passports, immigration issues, and other federal programs. Senator Ernst will not be at the traveling office hours.
*Please Note: Senator Ernst will not be at the traveling office hours*
Adair County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Adair County Courthouse
Jury Room
400 Public Square
Greenfield, IA
Adams County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Corning Public Library
603 9th Street
Corning, IA
Allamakee County
Thursday, July 27, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Robey Memorial Library
Conference Room
401 1st Avenue NW
Waukon, IA
Appanoose County
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Centerville Public Library
115 Drake Avenue
Centerville, IA
Audubon County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Audubon Public Library
401 North Park Place
Audubon, IA
Benton County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Vinton Public Library
510 2nd Avenue
Vinton, IA
Black Hawk County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Waterloo Public Library
415 Commercial Street
Waterloo, IA
Boone County
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Boone County Courthouse
1st Floor Conference Room
201 State Street
Boone, IA
Bremer County
Friday, July 21, 2017
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Denver Public Library
100 Washington Street
Denver, IA
Buchanan County
Friday, July 28, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Independence Public Library
Freedom Room
805 1st Street East
Independence, IA
Buena Vista County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Buena Vista County Veterans Affairs
1709 East Richland Street
Storm Lake, IA
Butler County
Friday, July 21, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Allison Public Library
Community Room
412 3rd Street
Allison, IA
Calhoun County
Thursday, July 21, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Manson City Hall
1015 13th Street
Manson, IA
Carroll County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Manning Public Library
310 Main Street
Manning, IA
Cass County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Atlantic Public Library
Community Room
507 Poplar Street
Atlantic, IA
Cedar County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
West Branch Public Library
300 N Downey Street
West Branch, IA
Cerro Gordo County
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Mason City Public Library
Large Group Study Room
225 2nd Street SE
Mason City, IA
Cherokee County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Cherokee Public Library
215 South 2nd Street
Cherokee, IA
Chickasaw County
Friday, July 21, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
New Hampton Public Library
20 West Spring Street
New Hampton, IA
Clarke County
Friday, July 14, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Clarke County Courthouse
Multi-Purpose Room
100 South Main Street
Osceola, IA
Clay County
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 am
Spencer Public Library
ICN Room
21 E 3rd Street
Spencer, IA
Clayton County
Thursday, July 27, 2017
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Strawberry Point Public Library
Meeting Room
401 Commercial Street
Strawberry Point, IA
Clinton County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Clinton Public Library
306 8th Avenue South
Clinton, IA
Crawford County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Norelius Community Library
1403 1st Avenue South
Denison, IA
Dallas County
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Dallas County Courthouse
2nd Floor Conference Room
801 Court Street
Adel, IA
Davis County
Wednesday July 12, 2017
12:15 PM – 1:15 PM
Bloomfield Public Library
200 W. Locust Street
Bloomfield, IA
Decatur County
Friday, July 14, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Decatur County Courthouse
Board Room
207 N Main Street
Leon, IA
Delaware County
Friday, July 28, 2017
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Manchester Public Library
Genealogy Room
304 North Franklin Street
Manchester, IA
Des Moines County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Burlington Public Library
Meeting Room A
210 Court Street
Burlington, IA
Dickinson County
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Arnolds Park City Hall
156 North Highway 71
Arnolds Park, IA
Dubuque County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Dubuque County Library – Asbury Branch
5290 Grand Meadow Drive
Asbury, IA
Emmet County
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Armstrong City Hall
519 6th Street
Armstrong, IA
Fayette County
Thursday, July 27, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
West Union Community Library
210 North Vine Street
West Union, IA
Floyd County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 pm
Nora Springs City Hall
Community Room
45 North Hawkeye Avenue
Nora Springs, IA
Franklin County
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Hampton Public Library
4 South Federal Street
Hampton, IA
Fremont County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 pm
Hamburg City Hall
1201 Main Street
Hamburg, IA
Greene County
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Greene County Courthouse
Board Room
114 N Chestnut Street
Jefferson, IA
Grundy County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Kling Memorial Library
Conference Room
708 7th Street
Grundy Center, IA
Guthrie County
Wednesday, July 5, 2017
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Guthrie County Courthouse
Public Meeting Room
200 North 5th Street
Guthrie Center, IA
Hamilton County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Hamilton County Courthouse
Meeting Room
2300 Superior Street
Webster City, IA
Hancock County
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Garner Public Library
416 State Street
Garner, IA
Hardin County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Iowa Falls Public Library
921 Washington Avenue
Iowa Falls, IA
Harrison County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
3:30 PM – 4:30 pm
Missouri Valley Public Library
420 East Huron Street
Missouri Valley, IA
Henry County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Mount Pleasant Public Library
307 East Monroe Street
Mount Pleasant, IA
Howard County
Friday, July 21, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Cresco Public Library
320 North Elm Street
Cresco, IA
Humboldt County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Humboldt Public Library
30 6th Street North
Humboldt, IA
Ida County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Holstein Lohff Schumann Memorial Community Center
301 Lohff Schumann Drive
Holstein, IA
Iowa County
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Williamsburg Public Library
Meeting Room B
300 West State Street
Williamsburg, IA
Jackson County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Maquoketa Public Library
126 South Second Street
Maquoketa, IA
Jasper County
Friday, July 7, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Jasper County Courthouse
Basement Conference Room
101 1st Street North
Newton, IA
Jefferson County
Friday, July 14, 2017
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Fairfield Public Library
Conference Room
104 West Adams Avenue
Fairfield, IA
Johnson County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Iowa City Public Library
Meeting Room A
123 South Linn Street
Iowa City, IA
Jones County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Anamosa Public Library
Flag Room
600 East 1st Street
Anamosa, IA
Keokuk County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
11:45 AM – 12:45 PM
Sigourney Public Library
720 East Jackson Street
Sigourney, IA
Kossuth County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Algona Public Library
Room D
210 North Phillips Street
Algona, IA
Lee County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
Fort Madison Public Library
1920 Avenue East
Fort Madison, IA
Linn County
Monday, July 10, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Marion Public Library
1095 6th Avenue
Marion, IA
Louisa County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Wapello Public Library
119 North 2nd Street
Wapello, IA
Lucas County
Friday, July 14, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Lucas County Courthouse
Board of Supervisors Office
916 Braden Avenue
Chariton, IA
Lyon County
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Rock Rapids Public Library
102 South Greene Street
Rock Rapids, IA
Madison County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Iowa State University Extension Office
117 North John Wayne Drive
Winterset, IA
Mahaska County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Oskaloosa Public Library
Room C
301 South Market Street
Oskaloosa, IA
Marion County
Thursday, July 6, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Marion County Courthouse
Board Room
214 East Main Street
Knoxville, IA
Marshall County
Friday, July 7, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Marshall County Courthouse
Meeting Room 2
1 East Main Street
Marshalltown, IA
Mills County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Glenwood City Hall
5 North Vine Street
Glenwood, IA
Mitchell County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Osage Public Library
406 Main Street
Osage, IA
Monona County
Monday, July 17, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Onawa Public Library
707 Iowa Avenue
Onawa, IA
Monroe County
Friday, July 14, 2017
1:15 PM – 2:15 PM
Albia Public Library
203 Benton Ave East
Albia, IA
Montgomery County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 pm
Montgomery County Extension Office
Suite #2
400 Bridge Street
Red Oak, IA
Muscatine County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Muscatine Community College
Strahan Hall Room 11
152 Colorado Street
Muscatine, IA
O’Brien County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Primghar Public Library
320 1st Street NE
Primghar, IA
Osceola County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Sibley Public Library
406 9th Street
Sibley, IA
Page County
Tuesday, July 18, 2017
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Clarinda Public Library
100 East Garfield St
Clarinda, IA
Palo Alto County
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Mallard City Hall
605 Inman Street
Mallard, IA
Plymouth County
Friday, July 14, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Kingsley Community Center
207 East 1st Street
Kingsley, IA
Pocahontas County
Thursday, July 27, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Pocahontas Public Library
14 2nd Avenue NW
Pocahontas, IA
Polk County
Friday, July 7, 2017
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Mitchellville Community Center
Senior Room
114 2nd Street NE
Mitchellville, IA
Pottawattamie County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Walnut City Hall
229 Antique City Drive
Walnut, IA
Poweshiek County
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Brooklyn Public Library
306 Jackson Street
Brooklyn, IA
Ringgold County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
9:30 AM- 10:30 AM
Ringgold County Courthouse
Meeting Room
109 West Madison
Mount Ayr, IA
Sac County
Friday, July 21, 2017
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Sac City Public Library
1001 West Main Street
Sac City, IA
Scott County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Bettendorf Public Library
2950 Learning Campus Drive
Bettendorf, IA
Shelby County
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Harlan Public Library
718 Court Street
Harlan, IA
Sioux County
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Orange City Public Library
112 Albany Avenue SE
Orange City, IA
Story County
Friday, July 7, 2017
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Story County Administration Building
Public Meeting Room
900 6th Street
Nevada, IA
Tama County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Norma Anders Public Library
320 Main Street
Dysart, IA
Taylor County
Thursday, July 13, 2017
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Bedford Public Library
507 Jefferson Street
Bedford, IA
Union County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Union County Courthouse
Law Enforcement Center Room
300 North Pine Street
Creston, IA
Van Buren County
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Keosauqua Public Library
608 1st Street
Keosauqua, IA
Wapello County
Friday, July 14, 2017
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Ottumwa Public Library
102 West 4th Street
Ottumwa, IA
Warren County
Thursday, July 6, 2017
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Warren County Administration Building
Board Room
301 North Buxton Street
Indianola, IA
Washington County
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM
Washington Public Library
115 West Washington Street
Washington, IA
Wayne County
Friday, July 14, 2017
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Wayne County Courthouse
Meeting Room
100 North Lafayette Street
Corydon, IA
Webster County
Thursday, July 27, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Fort Dodge Public Library
Lobby Meeting Room
424 Central Avenue
Fort Dodge, IA
Winnebago County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Lake Mills Public Library
102 South Lake Street
Lake Mills, IA
Winneshiek County
Thursday, July 27, 2017
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Decorah Public Library
202 Winnebago Street
Decorah, IA
Woodbury County
Monday, July 10, 2017
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Correctionville City Hall
312 Driftwood Street
Correctionville, IA
Worth County
Thursday, July 20, 2017
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Manly Public Library
127 South Grant Street
Manly, IA
Wright County
Wednesday, July 19, 2017
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Eagle Grove Public Library
101 South Cadwell Avenue
Eagle Grove, IA
Reprinted withpermission from the Summer 2017 issue of The Prairie Progressive, Iowa’s oldest progressive newsletter, funded entirely by reader subscription, and available only in hard copy for $12/yr. Send check to PP, Box 1945, Iowa City 52244.
Sorry, we don’t mean to alarm you. Or do we?
In Erik Larsen’s The Garden of Beasts, Hitler’s administration in 1933 is described as making “a deliberate effort to generate a kind of daily suspense.”
Sinclair Broadcasting is doing its best to do the same in 2017.
For PP readers who still monitor local network news shows on old-fashioned television, Sinclair’s KGAN station out of Cedar Rapids offers a strange “news” feature three times a week. Just before a commercial break, usually following an everyday story about a nursing home being investigated or a neighborhood raising money for a child’s surgery, an attractive moderator suddenly appears in a brightly-colored studio as the words From the Terrorism Desk in Washington DC are sternly spoken off-camera. The moderator, white and well-dressed, then delivers “news” of dangers from afar.
The news is generally not as urgent or as relevant as the nursing home, the ill child, the housing development, the flood mitigation project, or the shooting on the edge of town, but it generates a kind of daily suspense. “ISIS attack kills three.” “US considers sending more forces to Afghanistan.” “French police arrest suspect in cafe bombing.” “A final assault on Mosul is planned for sometime this summer.”
After three or four similar squibs, accompanied by grainy footage of brown-skinned machine-gunners and grenade throwers against a backdrop of smoking rubble, we…cut to a commercial, and breathe again.
What the hell just happened? Well, it happens regularly on Sinclair-owned stations all across our frightened land. If Sinclair’s merger with Tribune Media is approved, this subtle fear-mongering — hidden in plain sight — will appear on over 200 stations, spanning most major TV markets and reaching about one-third of American homes.
It’s hard to know what the average viewer of KGAN-Channel 2 in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area thinks when seeing a polished anchor person at a polished desk recite ominous bulletins from distant shores. The segments fit seamlessly into the rest of the evening news. They appear to a part of the regular local broadcast. They are not.
Just as Hitler intentionally kept the populace in a permanent state of emergency (and as Trump keeps the general citizenry in perpetual anxiety), so does Fox News, Sinclair Broadcasting, and mainstream outlets like CNN, endlessly repeating scenes of blood and panic, milking our emotions, continuing the coverage long after the event occurs. When the people are fearful, the terrorists have won. And so has Sinclair.
The Sinclair merger-acquisition will be well worth the price tag of $3.9 billion. The company will add WHO and QWAD to its Iowa roster of KGAN, KDSM, and KTVO, and establish a presence in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York City as it challenges Fox News for nation-wide right-wing hegemony. And have money left over to hire Bill O’Reilly.
Prairie Progressive readers should contact Sinclair at www.sbgi. net/contact or call their national headquarters in Baltimore at 410-568-1500. Tell them you don’t need a phony desk to alert you to the nearly non-existent threat of foreign terrorists in your daily life. We already have enough suspense.
Thanks to an alert from the Thom Hartman radio program (https://www.freespeech.org/ 11AM to 2PM daily) we were able to find an article at Media Matters that detailed the story of these privatization propaganda.
So let’s go to Media Matters for the story:
“Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and her department have pushed for an expansion of privatized school choice programs in the proposed budget for fiscal year 2018, particularly in the form of private school vouchers. Now a propagandistic three-part documentary series called School Inc. will help DeVos in her efforts to gain public support for expanded private school choice options. The series has already aired on PBS stations in some markets and will be shown on more this month.”
<>
In addition to School Inc.’s roots in the radical, libertarian Cato Institute, education historian and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch found that the film was funded by a number of arch-conservative foundations with ties to the “dark money ATM” DonorsTrust and the Ayn Rand Institute. Ravitch has prescreened School Inc. and provided this scathing review to The Washington Post:
This program is paid propaganda. It does not search for the truth. It does not present opposing points of view. It is an advertisement for the demolition of public education and for an unregulated free market in education. PBS might have aired a program that debates these issues, but “School Inc.” does not.
Why would a public broadcast channel air a documentary that is produced by a right-wing think tank and funded by ultra-conservative donors, and that presents a single point of view without meaningful critique, all the while denigrating public education? PBS responded in part with a statement to the Post, saying, “PBS and local member stations aim to offer programs that reflect diverse viewpoints and promote civic dialogue on important topics affecting local communities.”
However, as Ravitch notes, when a documentary fails to objectively present information about a topic that may not be well understood by the general public, the result is unlikely to “promote civic dialogue.” And when major media outlets uncritically provide a platform to right-wing ideologues, they further misinform and polarize the debate around important issues such as public education.”
editor comment: PBS is looked to as a trusted brand. One of their calling cards is their supposed objectivity. Airing a series of programs that are little more than propaganda for a single point of view badly damages that trust with the public.
Fox News has dropped its “Fair and Balanced “ slogan. It seems the slogan is more a victim of the purge of the Roger Ailes stench than it is that they are finally recognizing what a joke it was
I was hoping there would be a contest for a new slogan. I have come up with one based on reality and supported by study after study: “Get Fox and Get Stupid.”
Meanwhile, NBC News will take a shot at ending their credibility tonight when they have former Fox icon Megyn Kelly interview alternate reality dude (and Sandy Hook denier) Alex Jones. For those who like death scenes, seeing NBC News have a collective heart attack could be “must see TV.”
I can’t even keep up with the news anymore. Can you?
1) Whole Foods got swallowed up by what mega-corporation Friday?
2) Here’s a surprise! What two huge agriculture related corporations were approved for merger by the Justice Department Friday?
3) Gov. Reynolds announce what action to solve Iowa’s continuing major revenue shortfalls?
4) Forty-five years ago yesterday five men were arrested committing burglary at what little know hotel in Washington DC?
5) Once again what female senator dare ask questions in a committee hearing, only to be interrupted by John McCain asking for her to be reprimanded?
6) Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski assured Alaskans she is committed to funding what group hated by the GOP in a health care bill?
7) Republican senate leadership tried to stop interviews of all senators in what location only to have it backfire?
8) Last weekend marches were held around the country to protest Sharia Law in the US. How many states currently have Sharia Law?
9) Steve Scalise, the congress member injured in the gun attack Wednesday, represents what state?
10) Iowa Gov. Reynolds was sued by a group of disabled Iowans concerning state policies on what?
11) Which team won the NBA title and then unanimously rejected any visit to the White House?
12) Senator Angus King of Maine had a rough Q&A with Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. What party is Senator King?
13) Australia’s PM Malcolm Turnbull was caught on tape making fun of what other pompous world leader?
14) North Korea released American student Otto Warmbier last week. Warmbier was reported in a coma after a time in North Korean prison. Why was Warmbier in North Korea to begin with?
15) A month ago, Newt Gingrich said this man was perfect for the job. By last Tuesday Gingrich claimed the man was a partisan and unfit for the job. Who is the man and what is his job?
16) There is a special election this Tuesday to fill whose seat left vacant by a cabinet appointment?
17) This week in the US (Friday 6/09/2017 – Friday 6/16/2017) there were how many mass shooting in the US?
18) A high rise apartment fire killed at 17 with many more expected in what major world capital?
19) June 24th, 1948 began one of the hottest parts of the cold war when the Soviet Union imposed what?
20) Helmut Kohl, former German chancellor died Friday. It was under his leadership that what major project took place in Germany?
A belated Happy Juneteenth (June 15th) to everyone! If you don’t know what it is you really need to look it up!
Answers:
1) Amazon {chomp, chomp}
2) Dow and DuPont – that should spur competition!
3) She will tap the emergency funds. Used to be emergency funds were for emergencies not to cover screw-ups. Branstad left her holding the bag, didn’t he?
4) Watergate
5) Sen. Kamala Harris of California
6) Planned Parenthood
7) In the hallways where reporters often interview senators.
8) none, nor does the federal government. It was a march to oppose some monster in the closet.
9) Louisiana
10) privatizing Medicaid which they say has drastically affected their lives. Branstad left he holding the bag on that one also.
11) Golden State Warriors
12) he is an independent
13) our current president
14) he went on tour with a company that advertises trips to places “your mother wants you to stay away from.”
15) Robert Mueller heading up the investigation of Russian interference in our elections.
16) former Georgia rep. Tom Price. The election uses unverifiable touchscreen voting machines.
19) a blockade on West Berlin which at the time was deep in Soviet controlled East Germany – countered with the Berlin airlift
20) The reunification of Germany after the fall of the Soviet bloc.
Flying over Iowa in a private jet doesn’t allow our governor to appreciate the washboard quality of many of our roads. We have had several encounters with them this week. Looks like Branstad left Reynolds holding the bag on that one also. Way to dump on her, Branny!
Governor Kim Keynolds: (515) 281-5211 U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Iowa Members of Congress - Rep. Randy Feenstra (R) - Rep. Ashley Hinson (R) - Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R) - Rep. Zach Nunn (R) Iowa US Senators - Senator Joni Ernst (R) - Senator Charles Grassley (R)
Reprinted with permission from the Summer 2017 issue of The Prairie Progressive, Iowa’s oldest progressive newsletter, funded entirely by reader subscription, and available only in hard copy for $12/yr. Send check to PP, Box 1945, Iowa City 52244.
–Prairie Dog
Fox News has dropped its “Fair and Balanced “ slogan. It seems the slogan is more a victim of the purge of the Roger Ailes stench than it is that they are finally recognizing what a joke it was
