A GREAT Commentary by Fox News' <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,162312,00.html" target=_blank">Neil Cavuto</a>
If all you heard was bad news, you'd feel bad, right? Then I think it's a wonder any of us feels good at all.
I mean, tell me the last time you heard anything good about the economy.
Home prices are high, so it's a bubble. Gas prices (search) (search)are high, so it's a recession.
We can't win, I think, because many in the media don't want us to win.
I know that sounds extreme. But consider this: Tell me when you've ever heard good news reported for being, well, good news?
No, the day after a strong jobs report (search), The New York Times was bemoaning it would most likely keep interest rates ratcheting upward.
I'm not saying that isn't true. But would it kill us in the media to turn it around? That interest rates are going higher, precisely because the economy's going higher?
Would it kill us to report that while gas prices are at a record this week of $2.29 a gallon... they'd have to get up to more than 3 bucks to match the inflation-adjusted Carter years? And would it kill us to add that folks in Europe pay up to three times our level right now?
Would it kill us to note in our "deficits-are-ruining-America" stories, that deficits are actually declining? Maybe a hundred billion less than thought? And that tax revenues are up, precisely because tax rates are down?
Would it kill us to admit that's because more people are working and more people are paying taxes, so the pie just got bigger? No, we curse the pie and dish out the crap. How's that for flaky?
In economic news, that's not being fair and balanced.
Now, I'm not saying, don't report the bad stuff. Just don't make it seem like that's the only stuff.
So, here's what I say to some of my colleagues in the press: If you want to be the miserable wretches you are, feel free. Just leave us out of it.
Like I said, you're free to be the jaded, warped, twisted, negative, disingenuous, smarmy bastards you are. And we're just as free to ignore you.
Because all the news that's fit to print shouldn't be all the news that's fit to tint.
If all you heard was bad news, you'd feel bad, right? Then I think it's a wonder any of us feels good at all.
I mean, tell me the last time you heard anything good about the economy.
Home prices are high, so it's a bubble. Gas prices (search) (search)are high, so it's a recession.
We can't win, I think, because many in the media don't want us to win.
I know that sounds extreme. But consider this: Tell me when you've ever heard good news reported for being, well, good news?
No, the day after a strong jobs report (search), The New York Times was bemoaning it would most likely keep interest rates ratcheting upward.
I'm not saying that isn't true. But would it kill us in the media to turn it around? That interest rates are going higher, precisely because the economy's going higher?
Would it kill us to report that while gas prices are at a record this week of $2.29 a gallon... they'd have to get up to more than 3 bucks to match the inflation-adjusted Carter years? And would it kill us to add that folks in Europe pay up to three times our level right now?
Would it kill us to note in our "deficits-are-ruining-America" stories, that deficits are actually declining? Maybe a hundred billion less than thought? And that tax revenues are up, precisely because tax rates are down?
Would it kill us to admit that's because more people are working and more people are paying taxes, so the pie just got bigger? No, we curse the pie and dish out the crap. How's that for flaky?
In economic news, that's not being fair and balanced.
Now, I'm not saying, don't report the bad stuff. Just don't make it seem like that's the only stuff.
So, here's what I say to some of my colleagues in the press: If you want to be the miserable wretches you are, feel free. Just leave us out of it.
Like I said, you're free to be the jaded, warped, twisted, negative, disingenuous, smarmy bastards you are. And we're just as free to ignore you.
Because all the news that's fit to print shouldn't be all the news that's fit to tint.
