Our Biased News

Our Biased News

If you spend any time reading the news today, it is easy to get frustrated over what I call partial news, incomplete news, slanted/bias news, and just plain garbage news. So much of what we read today is either incomplete or so slanted that it is hardly worth reading.

How many of us have read articles about when to collect Social Security and how much we will lose if we claim it too early? Most of it is garbage. As we only live so long, when we take Social Security has a lot to do with our financial situation as well as our longevity. Claiming Social Security at age 70 is an excellent move if you gamble that you will live into your 80s. If not, it is as stupid as having your taxes over withheld so that you get a nice refund but have just made a great loan to the Federal Government of thousands of dollars over the past year.

I don’t think that anyone resents immigrants seeking a better life in the United States. However, no country can absorb hundreds of thousands (let alone millions) of immigrants into its existing infrastructure without preparation. The United States is criticized for not providing better accommodations for immigrants climbing over its existing fences but it appears in the media that we must have had excellent facilities but decided not to provide them to the current group of migrants? I don’t recall the migrants notifying us in advance of their plans to truck through Mexico and expect medical and proper treatment as they crawl over and under our border fences? Sadly, many die and many suffer as they have left countries where they received zero health care but good old Uncle Sam will be eager to provide whatever they need. After all, this is the land of milk and honey?

How do you feel today about the news of overpaid ball bouncers in the NBA moving around from team to team to see if they can better their $100 million dollar multi-year contract into a better contract of maybe $400 million dollars for four or five years? LeBron James has agreed to a four-year $154 million dollar contract with the Lakers. Stephen Curry has a $37.5 million dollar agreement per year with the Warriors – a little over $2 million more than James. But hold on, Ben Simmons was offered a five-year, $168 million dollar contract by the Sixers. Is it possible for 10 players to take the basketball court in the NBA and play with a total salary commitment of almost a billion dollars? I think we are almost there!

I like Meghan Markle but the media obsession with her is ridiculous. She has appeared in the weekly news as many as 126 times highlighting what she does and what she doesn’t do, what she wears, on and on. Let the poor woman alone. Most of this media crap has absolutely nothing to do with any real news.

Our government is bankrupt. It keeps on trucking by passing spending bill after spending bill with no association to any incoming revenue or taxes. Presidential candidates keep proposing spending bills that are beyond comprehension. “Medicare for All” may have its merits but is unaffordable now and in the future. It is estimated to cost thirty trillion dollars over ten years at a time when our national debt has ballooned to $23 trillion. Another democratic candidate recently offered $100 billion dollars to help inner-city residents buy houses that they most probably can’t afford anyway. Despite this, why does no one ever question government spending and waste?

Our legislators want a raise. They say they can’t get by on $174,000 a year at a time when 40% of Americans can’t come up with $400 cash to repair their car. The real question is what do they do every day except plan their reelection campaign? Should Congress consider an immigration policy that would work? Why is this mess at the border all President Trump’s fault? We drive on crumbling roads but no media members seem to ask our representatives what they are doing about it. In Michigan, for example, recent proposals are considering tapping teacher retirement accounts for money to fix their crumbling roads. For her part, their governor would like to raise the Michigan gas tax by $0.45 cents per gallon.

I think if our news was more realistic and responsible more pressure would be put on both our State and Federal representatives to take action.

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Written by
Donald Wittmer