Latching onto Republican talking point, media report "do-nothing" Congress, not GOP obstruction

[NNN0LHI]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200707280005?f=h_top

Several media outlets have reported recent claims by Senate Republicans, President Bush, and members of his administration that Democrats are currently presiding, or may soon preside, over a "do-nothing Congress" without challenging the claim in any way. These claims are apparently part of a strategy laid out in a "talking-points memorandum" reportedly "circulat" by Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that advises Republicans to attack congressional Democrats for their supposed lack of legislative accomplishments. In fact, Republicans have blocked Senate action at an unprecedented rate -- apparently putting into action a strategy that Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott (R-MS) described as "obstructionist."

A July 24 Washington Times article reported that Kyl was "meeting with members" of the Senate Republican Conference "yesterday and today to disseminate a message critical of Democrats for endlessly debating the Iraq war, stalling judicial nominations and squandering time on at least 300 investigations of the Bush administration." The article also reported that Kyl had "circulat" a talking-points memo to Republicans that "criticize{d}" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) "for letting legislative priorities languish." Kyl, Lott, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) reinforced this message during an afternoon press conference (subscription required) on July 24 in which they criticized Democrats by asserting that "we are literally doing nothing," in Cornyn's words.

But according to a July 20 McClatchy Newspapers article, "This year Senate Republicans are threatening filibusters to block more legislation than ever before," as Media Matters for America documented. These actions are consistent with the acknowledgement by Lott in an April 18 Roll Call article (subscription required) that the GOP is employing an "obstructionist" strategy in the Senate: "The strategy of being obstructionist can work or fail. ... For Daschle (S.D.), it failed. For Reid, it succeeded, and so far it's working for us." Further, a July 26 Washington Post article quoted Republican Rep. Ray LaHood (IL) praising Democrats' recent legislative accomplishments and bipartisanship. According to the article, LaHood stated: "The first quarter was not so good, and that's why they're not looking so good in the polls, but this quarter is looking very good for them. They can send their members home crowing about their accomplishments, and they've done it in a bipartisan way, which is exactly what they promised to do." Nevertheless, various media outlets duly repeated this message without challenge over the next several days: snip

During the July 25 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, correspondent Jack Cafferty asserted that the 110th Congress "ha{s} accomplished next to nothing":

CAFFERTY: The Democrats have been in control of Congress for seven months now, speaking of being in control of your own demise. What do they have to show for it? A hike in the minimum wage. That's about it. And wouldn't you know they went out yesterday, pat themselves on the back, celebrating the first minimum wage increase in a decade with a rally across from the Capitol. I mean, is that really necessary?

It's nice they increased the minimum wage, but, I mean, this is kind of overdoing it.

Now, there's a piece in The New York Times that suggests that they're going to have to get a lot more than that done in order to avoid the do-nothing label that they stuck on the Republican Congress that preceded them. So far, if there was a race for worthless, the 109th and 110th Congresses would be dead even.

Despite the fact that they have accomplished next to nothing, in a week and a half, they're going on vacation for a whole month, just like the Iraqi parliament plans to do.

[Bitwit1234]

1. Just think what the mood of this country really would be IF

the media reported what was really going on in the bush administration and the fact about the republicans obstruction of anything good the democrats are trying to do for the American People. And the asshole who runs the
FCC says we don't need a Fairness Doctrine. He is as mentally diseased as the rest of the bush administration.

[helderheid]

2. "It's the media, Stupid!"

recommended

[leftofthedial]

3. they are not "latching on"

they are regurgitating