Framing the Issue: "Domestic Spying"
We listened to a piece in class today from All Things Considered, the evening news program on program on National Public Radio . Instead of having us think about the NSA's practice of listening in on any calls they want to, without a court's supervision, as "domestic spying", or a "warrantless wiretap", Karl Rove and the President prefer that we think of it as a "terrorist surveillance program".
They are trying to "frame the issue" or "frame the debate". We certainly don't want our government spying on us, not without good cause (it's happened before). But then again we don't want the terrorists calling people here in America, setting up the next September 11! Whoever wins the war of words likely wins the battle.
Listen to how the media handles this story. Is it Bush's "domestic spying program," or his "terrorist surveillance program"?
Now Don Gonyea told us that Bush spoke for nearly two hours, and answered some questions -- notably one about Brokeback Mountain, that movie about two gay cowboys. But as far as we know from ATC, that was it.
Well, of course there was some more. One of the things that we're interested here in ComMedia is about what's NOT in the news (but maybe oughta be). This next item was brought to my attention by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show (a standing homework assignment: 11 p.m. on Comedy Central, repeated the next night at 8 p.m. Oh, and stay tuned for The Colbert Report right after.)
One of the students at Kansas State had a question about a recent 12.7 billion dollar cut in student loan money available [this link plays in Quicktime]. Bush thought she had it wrong, but he didn't seem too sure of his facts. NPR didn't cover it. Comedy Central did.
Now, our other big lesson for the day -- in fact the #1 Lesson for the Entire Course -- is
The source in this case is something called "The Daily Kos". It's a blog, and it's a liberal blog. We'll talk in more depth about each of these in the next weeks and months, but here's the short version: blogs can be just about anything (this is a blog, so that ought to tell you something right there). Some bloggers are really knowledgable, and sometimes blogs can provide you with items not be covered by the MSM ("Main Stream Media"). But they are also for the most part amateur, usually biased, and not subject to the checks and balances of the MSM (and even so, those sometimes break down.
Liberals tend to be Democrats (if they belong to a political party), pro-choice and anti-death penalty, would rather spend money on social programs (even if that means increasing taxes) than on war. Liberals tend to see what Bush is doing as "domestic spying" (they remember the FBI doing it to Martin Luther King). Conservatives see it as "terrorist surveillance" (they remember 9/11). Some conservatives, called Libertarians, detest this spying/surveillance program. (They remember Thomas Jefferson, who said "the government is best which governs least" and Henry David Thoreau, who said : "the government is best which governs not at all."
They are trying to "frame the issue" or "frame the debate". We certainly don't want our government spying on us, not without good cause (it's happened before). But then again we don't want the terrorists calling people here in America, setting up the next September 11! Whoever wins the war of words likely wins the battle.
Listen to how the media handles this story. Is it Bush's "domestic spying program," or his "terrorist surveillance program"?
Now Don Gonyea told us that Bush spoke for nearly two hours, and answered some questions -- notably one about Brokeback Mountain, that movie about two gay cowboys. But as far as we know from ATC, that was it.
Well, of course there was some more. One of the things that we're interested here in ComMedia is about what's NOT in the news (but maybe oughta be). This next item was brought to my attention by Jon Stewart on The Daily Show (a standing homework assignment: 11 p.m. on Comedy Central, repeated the next night at 8 p.m. Oh, and stay tuned for The Colbert Report right after.)
One of the students at Kansas State had a question about a recent 12.7 billion dollar cut in student loan money available [this link plays in Quicktime]. Bush thought she had it wrong, but he didn't seem too sure of his facts. NPR didn't cover it. Comedy Central did.
Now, our other big lesson for the day -- in fact the #1 Lesson for the Entire Course -- is
"Consider the Source".
The source in this case is something called "The Daily Kos". It's a blog, and it's a liberal blog. We'll talk in more depth about each of these in the next weeks and months, but here's the short version: blogs can be just about anything (this is a blog, so that ought to tell you something right there). Some bloggers are really knowledgable, and sometimes blogs can provide you with items not be covered by the MSM ("Main Stream Media"). But they are also for the most part amateur, usually biased, and not subject to the checks and balances of the MSM (and even so, those sometimes break down.
Liberals tend to be Democrats (if they belong to a political party), pro-choice and anti-death penalty, would rather spend money on social programs (even if that means increasing taxes) than on war. Liberals tend to see what Bush is doing as "domestic spying" (they remember the FBI doing it to Martin Luther King). Conservatives see it as "terrorist surveillance" (they remember 9/11). Some conservatives, called Libertarians, detest this spying/surveillance program. (They remember Thomas Jefferson, who said "the government is best which governs least" and Henry David Thoreau, who said : "the government is best which governs not at all."
posted by Mr. Mac | 7:23 PM
5 Comments:
Alright I guess I'll draw first blood here..
I don't really have a problem with the "domestic spying" issue or whatever you want to call it. Obviously the media plays a big role in politics, and the media can very easily sway public opinion based on company beliefs (touch on President Johnson and Vietnam). But I guess if you wanted to make a big fuss out of it you could.. to me its just another attempt for the left side to pick on the right side. Like if Miers, Delay and Alito wasn't enough...
Anyway that's my "blog".. oh hey btw, that NPR radio report today was totally biased... why? Because they fragmented Bush's speech to play into their report. I watched it live and watched the reaction of Bush to the Brokeback Mountain question, and they totally cut off the second half of his response... but then again you're listening to radio, so if you clip it just right it makes it sound like Bush is really pissed about it...
dudes =)
Myles
I agree, right now I dont have a problem with the "domestic spying" issue, but thats right now. It all depends how far Bush takes it, or abuses his powers shall I put it. I don't know about you but I don't know how comfortable I feel with Bush being able to tap into any conversation he chooses, who knows what the man is going to be doing. As for now, I'll let the issue slide, but as for how the future goes... who knows.
-Jeni Schatzlein
Harriet Meiers was torpedoed by Conservatives more than by Liberals. Alito and Roberts made it to the bench, despite the objections of Liberals. Delay? We'll see, but some of his trouble is of his own making.
Well I'll make Myles happy and start off by saying I support Bush, and I believe he is being unfairly critisized for his actions. Post 9/11, America was outraged and demanded stronger protection against terrorist, and thats exactly what Bush is trying to do with the "Terrorist Surveilance Program". And as a result of his efforts to thrawt Terrorism, all he gets is anger and disaproval from the same people that yelled at him earlier for not doing enough to protect us. It seems like they want the results to just magically happen, and need to realize that you have to do certain things in order to achieve the results.
Another thing to note is that its technically not "domestic Spying", they arent listening to joe in texas calling jack in california, they are only evesdropping on calls going from the U.S to nations outside America or vice versa. Also they are only recording conversations between people they feel have terrorist connections.
I do believe that there should be limits to the surveilance. I believe that terroism is a serious enough issue to warant warantless tapping, and that Bush should continue doing this, however if while trying to catch a terrorist they happen to hear joe talk about how he just bought a pound of pot, they have no right to use this information against joe. It is alright to "spy" in an effort to catch terrorist, but it should be strictly confined to terrorism and not get out of control.
-Patrick Gallagher-
Exactly, you know? You can't expect to get anything done when the "other side" is continously railing the Bush administration for every little detail and every little discrepancy (sp?).
With what has been said I feel that Congress and all those questioning should sit back for a bit and give the President a little room... the guy might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but he's got a better understanding of the situation AND better credability than any of us here that agree or disagree.
dudes =)
Myles
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