Hard to Read

4/27/24

I get a couple of newspapers delivered daily and read a couple more on line. I’ve learned over time which authors of the articles are hacks simply spouting their ideological underpinnings and those who are in fact, journalists. Despite its lofty reputation, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) employs both versions. One expects the New York Times and the Washington Post to simply carry the water for lefty propaganda but you don’t expect it from the “journal”. Today’s is one of the most glaring examples of kindergarten reporting. Somebody said something.

Front page headline and lead story: “Trump Allies Draw Up Plans To Blunt Fed’s Independence” written by Andrew Restuccia, Nick Timiraos and Alex Leary. In it they say there is a draft document that outlines how Trump will try to replace Powell, oversee and/or attempt to actually set interest rates. Pretty powerful stuff here so you would think they have the story locked down with multiple sources and perhaps even a copy of the “draft” but what you get is “people said”. Not one name nor even an anonymous source. No document or quote from anyone other than this from the Trump campaign in the 5^th paragraph. Trump Senior Advisers said if it doesn’t come directly from Trump  or the campaign, it isn’t official. No follow up on whether the story is true or not. Whether they even asked about the “draft” NADA.

The remainder of the article goes on to cite the problems that could arise from a President controlling the Fed. It interviews members of Congress that of course are against such a move casting the former President in a bad light for even having thought of it, if in fact he is!

While the WSJ editorial board is reasonably conservative, it is no fan of Trump. “Deranged Trump Syndrome” does exist in its “news” room and is on full display by the likes of Restuccia, Siobhan Hughes and others daily in the “news” section of this paper. Its high time we call to account those who are supposed to be telling us unvarnished facts when labeled as “news” and save the postulating for dinner conversations amongst their friends. If you want to interpret those facts, put it on the “analysis” page, or criticize something, write an editorial, but don’t try to tell us you’re a journalist when you ply such totally unsubstantiated pablum for your lefty readers. Where is the adult Editor? Cowering in the corner office hoping the “inmates” don’t call for his head. Indeed, there was an uprising in 2020 when the “newsroom” castigated the opinion writers for not fact-checking something. How rich is that?