Liberal Media Myth Exposed

The St. Petersburg Times has just given us the smoking gun to expose the myth of the so called "Liberal Media". Your recent editorial regarding the adding of domestic spending to the Iraq "Emergency" Supplemental Appropriations bill is that smoking gun.

You have bought the conservative frame on this spending hook, line and sinker. The folks who were spending like drunken sailors when they held the gavel are now calling the appropriations added by the Democrats "pork". In your editorial, you repeat this characterization. The same folks who had no problems giving billions to Big Oil and billions in no bid contracts to Haliburton claim these domestic spending addons are "pork" and you fell into their trap.

The same folks who didn't pass appropriations bills before the elections are now bemoaning the fact that the new Congress has a different take on spending priorities. Barbara Boxer was dead on last week when she held up her gavel and said "Elections have consequences". Since the Republican controlled Congress would not make the hard spending decisions before the election, the new Congress controlled by Democrats will.

The very idea that the now five year old Iraq war requires "emergency" supplemental appropriations should be raising red flags aplenty. The American people spoke loudly and clearly last November that they wanted this country moving in a different direction. Part of that different direction includes the domestic agenda.

Katrina relief spending on the Gulf Coast, better care for wounded veterans and much needed aid to farmers stuck by their own catastrophes are not "pork". They are the consequences of the election. Big Oil will have to take a back seat now to the Big Needs of the American people.

I'm more than OK with that. It's what I voted for. The fact that you bought the "pork" frame of the Republicans points out the extent to which the "Liberal Media" misstates the facts.