More Bias from the Media

In a truly amazing article, the AP this morning is proclaiming that the Democrats are thankful to Paul Ryan and his budget proposals for providing them with ammunition to attack the GOP. Ryan's budget proposal calls for a change to Medicare which will change the program from one run by the government to one where the government provides vouchers for private insurance beginning with those who reach 65 in 2022 and thereafter. The size of the vouchers would be reduced for those with high incomes and the retirement age would be raised gradually over more than a decade until it hit 67. According to the article, Democrats are calling these "Medicare cuts" since their polling indicates that using that phrase plays best to the public. The article also then tells us that this strategy is allowing the Democrats to make real inroads in their fight with the GOP.

But here's the kicker. In paragraph 19 of the piece, the AP reports that recent polling shows that the public including seniors approve the Ryan plan and prefer it to the position of the Democrats. What is AP's answer? AP then reports about an "unscientific annecdotal" poll that found real upset with the Ryan plan. AP also reports that there have been confrontations at some town hall meetings held in the last week or so, particularly one in Florida. A bit later, AP admits that it covered the town hall where the confrontation took place after it was told by Democrat activists that they planned to attend and disrupt it. So we have an article by AP proclaiming that the Ryan plan is hurting the GOP based upon an unscientific annecdotal poll and the preplanned disruption of a town hall by some Democrat activists. The actual scientific poll which shows the opposition is basically ignored.

Congratulations to the AP for being even more partisan than usual.