CLHCO Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20081001/us_time/whyarentamericansbuyingthebailout They are talking about why a spin must be put on it for us "little guys". They didn't effectively manipulate the emotions. It's not that the bill is bad or that we don't trust our politicians, it's simply that they fed it to us wrong. I'm talking about the plus or minus of a bailout (not a good word to use, I hear), I'm just referring to the way things are fed to people these days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Yes, incredibly so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20081001/us_time/whyarentamericansbuyingthebailout They are talking about why a spin must be put on it for us "little guys". They didn't effectively manipulate the emotions. It's not that the bill is bad or that we don't trust our politicians, it's simply that they fed it to us wrong. I'm talking about the plus or minus of a bailout (not a good word to use, I hear), I'm just referring to the way things are fed to people these days. It is patronizing, but unfortunately (IMO) it's also true. I don't think most people today make an effort to understand the situation- they only listen to sound bytes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLHCO Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 It is patronizing, but unfortunately (IMO) it's also true. I don't think most people today make an effort to understand the situation- they only listen to sound bytes. Sadly, this truth did cross my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay in Cal Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Yes! I've done a lot of reading and listening... and there are plenty of economists out there who think that this is the wrong approach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 It has been like this for ages. I think it's interesting that even mainstream media now talks about how the messages are massaged for the masses (ok, enough alliteration) Chomsky's Manufacturing Consent remains IMO the basic text for understanding this issue but since the years it was published, this has become much more complex with increasingly sophisticated marketing techniques used in politics. On the flip side, we now have the rise of citizen journalism which can offset some of this. What I found truly patronizing was Steven Pearlstein's editorial in the Wash Post on Sep 30: "They just don't get it." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902762.html The sheer arrogance of that statement, which I suspect very accurately reflects the opinions of the new financial gurus, the largely invisible kingmakers, is stunning. Those bloody 'little people' are interfering with things! Things they don't understand! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibbyl Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20081001/us_time/whyarentamericansbuyingthebailout They are talking about why a spin must be put on it for us "little guys". They didn't effectively manipulate the emotions. It's not that the bill is bad or that we don't trust our politicians, it's simply that they fed it to us wrong. I'm talking about the plus or minus of a bailout (not a good word to use, I hear), I'm just referring to the way things are fed to people these days. I find it to be realistic. I may be saying this for the 15,788th time, but as long as we Americans respond to emotional appeals instead of using reason and logic, we can hardly expect ours elected officials and news-providers to behave any differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I remember working at the newspaper when I was pregnant. Things had to be written to about an 8th grade level so the reading public "would understand" the stories. Along with dumbing down education, the media has become dumbed down as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chika Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I found the quote from a certain Congressman, when he said that the representatives in the House shouldn't be moved by the emails from their constituents in their voting, to be more patronizing. I read the article yesterday and cannot find a link this a.m. -- but he went on for a handful of sentences about how the reps needed to vote for the bailout even though they probably had received thousands of emails from the folks in their district about voting against it. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I found the quote from a certain Congressman, when he said that the representatives in the House shouldn't be moved by the emails from their constituents in their voting, to be more patronizing. I read the article yesterday and cannot find a link this a.m. -- but he went on for a handful of sentences about how the reps needed to vote for the bailout even though they probably had received thousands of emails from the folks in their district about voting against it. :glare: "We are from the government and we are here to help." What idiots. I swear I get closer and closer wanting to join the Kick Them All Out movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chika Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I swear I get closer and closer wanting to join the Kick Them All Out movement. Lol, me too. In fact, even though our rep DID vote "nay" (which surprised me quite a bit), I'm still going to vote for his opponent in November despite the fact that he's from a different party than the one I'm typically affiliated with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimber Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 It is patronizing. It doesn't take a rocket scientist nor a high school degree to understand that these rich people have spent money they don't have and now want to use government funds in the amount of 700 billion dollars to fund their habit. It is simple! And even unread, uneducated people can understand it and do understand it. They also understand that any money the government has is our money. The government is by the people, for the people, and of the people. But it is the elitist with money in the stock market who are trying to convince everyone else that this bail out is beyond their understanding. I find it repugnant. It is not so much economics as it is a point of view. The American economic system is built on credit. That is fine for the middle to upper class that live off of credit. Poor people who can't get credit, don't live off credit; they live off of the cash they earn. So, maybe the credit fiasco, the derivatives, and living off debt is beyond them. It's only those who play the credit game--the financiers, the bankers, the business owners, the investors, the media and all those putting a spin on this who want our current system to exist. It's basically a difference in views. America should not be operating off debt, which is money that isn't real. It's not complicated...at...all. And many people would rather a depression during our present time rather than socialism in our children's futures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimber Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 As a matter of fact, because of this hole thing, I'm voting third party this year. I find that these so called educated more understanding more knowledgeable people to be greedy idiots of the highest degree. Democrats and republicans--they're all the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 And many people would rather a depression during our present time rather than socialism in our children's futures. Yep. I'm one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLHCO Posted October 1, 2008 Author Share Posted October 1, 2008 And many people would rather a depression during our present time rather than socialism in our children's futures. Yep. I'm one of them Me too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 But it is the elitist with money in the stock market who are trying to convince everyone else that this bail out is beyond their understanding. I find it repugnant. Just curious- do you think everyone with money in the stock market is an elitist? Because anyone with a mutual fund has money in the stock market. Anyone with a retirement fund or a college savings fund or pretty much any kind of fund has money in the stock market. That's a lot of elitists. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I find it to be realistic. I may be saying this for the 15,788th time, but as long as we Americans respond to emotional appeals instead of using reason and logic, we can hardly expect ours elected officials and news-providers to behave any differently. 15,789 times for me. Gotcha beat!:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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