When Senator Joe Manchin (D.W.Va.) declared his support for Inflation Reduction Act, the networks were thrilled. So ecstatic, that they seemingly forgot their role as journalists, instead mindlessly parroting White House talking points about the bill despite the Joint Committee on Taxation saying it would increase taxes on people earning less than $400,000, despite the Biden administration’s promises.
On ABC’s Good Morning AmericaABC Congressional correspondent Rachel Scott blithely enumerated Monday the bundle of goodies that the bill to Build Back Better, a scaled back version, promised.
It would make it the biggest investment made in climate by the United States in history. $369 billion would go toward energy and climate initiatives. This includes tax credits to buy electric cars. A major investment in healthcare would lower American’s premiums and lower the price of senior medication. The wealthy and large corporations would pay more taxes to finance all of it.
Good Morning America host George Stephanopoulos did ask Scott, “The big question is what effect this will have on inflation?”
Rachel dutifully repeated the party line, “It’s interesting in the name of the bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. Democrats argue that it puts billions of dollars toward tackling the deficit, that it would help reduce inflation, but one outside analysis shows that it would slightly increase inflation until 2024 before bringing it back down.”
Brilliant, insightful journalism here: it’s in the name! A bill called the Inflation Reduction Act would only benefit the American taxpayer. Any bill named misleadingly is never intended to cause bad optics for anyone voting against it.
Even worse were the Sunday evening shows.
On ABC’s World News Tonight, MaryAlice Parks couldn’t even be bothered to deal with whether or not the bill will actually help fight inflation, let alone lead to a tax increase, simply repeating, “Democrats hoping to finally pass their budget deal that would allow Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, set a 15 percent corporate minimum tax, and make historic investments in clean energy.”
This bill is over 700 pages long, and ABC couldn’t be bothered to do due diligence on its contents beyond the White House’s SparkNotes summary?
CBS Weekend News tried to give Biden credit for the breakthrough, depicting him as a valiant keyboard warrior fighting from the shroud of his COVID-induced isolation, “President Biden took to Twitter, He’s using his bully pulpit, showing that his COVID rebound is not over, to advocate for a smaller-scaled Build Back Better bill now called the Inflation Reduction Act.”
At least CBS had the integrity to play a clip of Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) saying, “Well, it’s going to make inflation worse, actually…I like Joe very much, but I think he got taken to the cleaners.”
Toomey’s actual concerns were never mentioned, mainly, the Joint Committee on Taxation’s findings that the Inflation Reduction Act actually increases taxes on those making less than $400,000 a year, despite Biden’s promise and Manchin’s reassurances that no such tax hike would occur.
However, this would mean that you had to present both sides of the issue in a balanced manner. This is something no propaganda outlet can do.
This is the latest example of selective amnesia in media. Amazon Dick’s Sporting Goods. The following links provide their contact information.
Click “Expand” to see the relevant transcript.
ABC’s Good Morning America
08/01/22
7.14.22 ETGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS – Now, to Capitol Hill. Congressional Democrats are racing for a bill on climate and health care to be passed before August recess. These are important issues, but the margins can be razor-thin. Rachel Scott, Congressional correspondent is following it all. Rachel, good morning.
RACHEL SCOTT : George, it’s good to be here. Senate Democrats are now at the final hurdle in trying to pass this economic bill before going on Friday for their August recess.
It would make it the biggest investment made in climate by the United States in history. $369 billion would go toward energy and climate initiatives. This includes tax credits to buy electric cars. A major investment in healthcare would lower American’s premiums and lower the price of senior medication. The wealthy and large corporations would pay more taxes to finance all of it.
However, this morning it’s unclear whether Democrats have the votes necessary to pass it. They need the support of all 50 Senate Democrats and right now, there’s still one big holdout, Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has not indicated if she plans to vote yes, George.
STEPHANOPOULOS – One of the biggest questions is what effect this will have on inflation.
SCOTT: Yes George, and it’s interesting in the name of the bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. Democrats claim that the bill will help to reduce inflation and that billions are being spent on reducing deficits. However, an outside analysis has shown that inflation would be slightly higher until 2024, before it drops back, George.
(…)
ABC’s World News Tonight
07/31/22
6:14.55 PM ETMARYALICE PARTKS: The President appears to be on the cusp of a significant win this week. Democrats are hoping to get their budget deal passed that would enable Medicare to negotiate the cost of prescription drugs and set a corporate minimum tax at 15%. This will also allow for historic investments in clean energies.
ABC’s Jonathan Karl interviewed Senator Joe Manchin who has been a persistent holdout of the party. He explained how he got to “yes.”
SEN. JOE MANICHIN (D–WV). [on ABC’s This Week, 07/31/22]: I was — uh, unbeknownst to me that there are people not paying any taxes whatsoever. They are America’s largest companies and we said that the minimum threshold should be 15%.
PARKS All must vote, and everyone has to show up in good health. There’s still a lot to be asked about Arizona Democrat Kyrsten Silena. She has not yet said whether she will support this bill.
(…)
CBS Weekend News
07/31/22
6:04 PM ETJERICKA DINCAN: Today marks 100 days before the midterm election. President Biden is still in exile with Covid. CBS’s Serena Marshall is at the White House for us tonight with more on — uh, what Democrats are hoping will be a renew and a big push for big legislation.
SERENA MAARSHALL: Jericka. Good evening. The President’s doctor says he’s feeling well, despite testing positive again, and it’s not stopping him from pushing for his agenda from behind closed doors.
Biden used Twitter to show that, despite COVID rebounding, he is using his bully pulpit in order to push for a smaller-scaled Build Back Better bill now called the Inflation Reduction Act.
SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D — WV) [on CBS’s Face the Nation, 07/31/22]: They never expected to come to an accord. [SCREEN WIPE]These are the solutions Americans seek.
MARSHALL: West Virginia Democrat Joe Manchin and Senator Majority Leader Chuck Schumer reached a surprising deal on the 700-page bill. It includes President Obama’s priority from healthcare to energy. Manchin took to Sunday shows to defend it.
MANCHIN [on NBC’s Meet the Press, 07/31/22]Chuck, We didn’t raise taxes. [SCREEN WIPE] [on Fox’s Fox News Sunday, 07/31/22] We’ve closed loopholes. [SCREEN WIPE] [on ABC’s This Week, 07/31/22]We have closed loopholes and not raised taxes.
MARSHALL: The Democrat who stood in the way of the President’s last legislative push said independent tax experts promised the new bill will help tame record inflation. Republicans disagree.
SEN. PAT TOOMEY [on CBS’s Face the Nation, 07/31/22]: It will make inflation worse. [SCREEN WIPE]Joe is a great guy. But, I believe he was taken to the cleaners.
MARSHALL – With just 100 days before the midterms begin, a CBS News Battleground Tracker found Republicans would be in control of the House today if they won the election. In November, top issues include the economy, and inflation.
The Democrats will vote on the bill next week, before going on August recess. They plan to use reconciliation which means they only would need 50 votes while keeping their caucus intact. The outlier however remains Kyrsten Sinema, who has yet to say if she’ll vote for the bill.
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