At least we’re stupid reliably. The New York Times has another knee-slapper: “Biden’s Fed Pick Could Prove His Commitment to Bipartisanship.” It’s a new week, so it’s time for the press to question the Democratic Party’s commitment to bipartisanship. The opinion piece talks about President Biden’s pick for the Federal Reserve Board.
By most accounts, Mr. Biden is considering another four-year term for Republican lawyer Jerome Powell, the current chair, or promoting his colleague, Democratic economist Lael Brainard, a Fed official and former Obama administration treasury official. His choice will be a test of his commitment to bipartisanship.
Washington Post, Biden’s Fed Pick Could Prove His Commitment to Bipartisanship, Nov. 21, 2021
You’re shitting me. But sure, all right, let’s try a summary, shall we?
President Biden just spent the lion’s share of his presidency so far trying to get bipartisan support on public health, government financing, the American infrastructure, and a safe and functioning democracy. He willingly dedicated a swath of his precious time wooing the duplicitous GOP.
In response, the Republican Party gave back nothing but bad-faith complaints and thinly veiled death threats. I’d have thought the murderous insurrection was a hint. They screamed “Traitor!” at Democrats and non-Trump Republicans, pushed people to infect each other, lied egregiously about a fair election, egged their followers to commit mayhem, railed against the rule of law, and celebrated White Nationalist murderers, all while preparing for the violent overthrow of our democratic government and the installation of permanent minority rule. Republicans routinely promote laws that most Americans oppose and undercut policies that a vast majority of people wanted, like, yesterday.
And the New York Times insists that the burning issue of the day is for Biden to compromise once more for Republican support he will never receive. In their eyes, it’s Biden who needs to demonstrate his bipartisanship, and not Mitch McConnell, Kevin McCarthy, Donald Trump, or their bespoke MAGA insurrection squad. This is the party of Louie Gohmert and Paul Gosar.
Recently, Jennifer Rubin wrote a terrific opinion piece, “Journalists also have an obligation to fix democracy.” I know these things are ethereal, but it’s worth reading.
Republicans are rarely grilled on their tacit approval of violence — from the former president’s rationalization of the “Hang Mike Pence!” chants on Jan. 6 to warnings of “bloodshed” from Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-N.C.) to violent imagery posted on social media by Rep. Paul A. Gosar (R-Ariz.). At best, we get easily sidestepped inquiries (“What is your response?”); virtually never are Republicans asked “How can you remain in a party that tolerates violence?” or “How can we entrust power to people who follow the MAGA leader and/or stir violence?”
The press treats leaders of the GOP, who fail to condemn such aberrant conduct, continue to deny their nominee lost in 2020 and still pledge fidelity to the former president who instigated a violent insurrection, as ordinary politicians. Hmm, why has the president “failed” to get Republican support for his initiatives?
Washington Post, “Journalists also have an obligation to fix democracy,” Nov. 15, 2021
When did we decide that ‘bipartisanship’ was one-sided?
