Previewing her questions next week for her “Primary Questions: Character, Leadership & The Candidates” series in which she runs clips of ten presidential candidates from both parties answering the same question, Katie Couric on Thursday night showed herself asking Joe Biden: “With the country fighting a costly war and going deeper into debt should the American people be expected to sacrifice more, and if so, specifically how?” Couric didn't specifically cite raising taxes, and so maybe by some miracle a candidate will suggest cutting government programs, but “sacrifice” is the common media code word for raising taxes. After the Minneapolis bridge collapse in early August, with a logical implication that taxes would have to be increased, Couric set up a CBS Evening News story by wondering “are taxpayers ready to spend the billions, maybe trillions, it would take to fix all the pipelines, tunnels and bridges?”
The other question she previewed: “Do they think the warnings about climate change are overblown or not?” The question all the candidates answered on Thursday's CBS Evening News: “What are you most afraid of losing?” Earlier questions asked the ten contenders to name their “most influential person” and “biggest mistake.”
My August 2 NewsBusters posting recounted:
Neglecting any thought about cutting spending anywhere within the federal budget, for instance some of the soaring entitlement spending, CBS's Katie Couric on Thursday night wondered if taxpayers are "ready to spend" the "trillions" needed to repair the nation's infrastructure. Couric's assumption about higher taxes came as she introduced an August 2 CBS Evening News story from Nancy Cordes on the estimate by the American Society of Civil Engineers, a group obviously in favor of additional public works project spending, that it will cost $1.6 trillion to address infrastructure needs. Live from Minneapolis, Couric asked: "Experts have been warning for years that this country's infrastructure is crumbling. But are taxpayers ready to spend the billions, maybe trillions, it would take to fix all the pipelines, tunnels and bridges?"
—Brent Baker is Vice President for Research and Publications at the Media Research Center
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“With the country
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 21:28 ET by PeskyDane“With the country fighting a costly war and going deeper into debt...
She must be talking about the "War on Poverty." Double-digit Trillions and still counting without so much as making a dent... anyone want to suggest that its time to "re-deploy?"
Lol..until one of the many
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 21:47 ET by ThoughtPoliceLol..until one of the many countries that we borrow money from wants it back! Keep thinking that we can sustain a trillion dollars a year, cause it ain't happenin. We need to stay in Iraq like Michael Jackson needs another nose. If you don't want a tax, cutting spending and getting out of Iraq is the only way.
RP R3volution is on its way...
I'm not convinced that
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 21:55 ET by PeskyDaneI'm not convinced that pulling out of Iraq is the way to go. I think its important to keep our enemies at arm's length, and since they are converging from 2 dozen different countries to throw themselves onto our bayonnets, I don't think we should stop them.
You make a good point about the need to cut spending. Line item veto is the only way to go. Our legislators just don't have the discipline or the courage to tell the folks back home that this particular public works project isn't happening this year or the next.
Funny, but so true
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:39 ET by 10ksnookerWar on poverty -- $6 TRILLION wasted, no possibility of success, can't even define success.
Redeploy now
If you haven't read it already read the WSJ editorial about the "Availability cascade" http://www.opinionjournal.com/columnists/hjenkins/?id=110010947
It will explain why this is all happening.
I have been doing my little test for months. When I meet someone who exposes AGW, I ask inquisitly ... "how do you know?"
Blank stare, "uh because ..."
I then follow up with ... "ever wonder why they never mention the sun when trying to scare you into paying more taxes?"
Another blank stare.
Simple answer, everyone knows we can't do anything about the sun.
It's fun playing on others ingnorance. Read the article.
I know what the problem is...
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 21:47 ET by heldmyw...She's Dan Rather's illegitimate son.
The answer is a tax
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 21:50 ET by Chris NormanThe answer is a tax increase. Now, what's the question?
possible ways to get out of debt
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 21:51 ET by candanceAnd I'm just spitballing here...
I could list a few more ideas, but you get the gist.
Blaming the debt on Iraq is like spending your paycheck at the mall then blaming your bills when you have to borrow more.
Great list, candace.
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:48 ET by fitzfongGreat list, candace. Might I add...
- quit wasting taxpayer money on the National Endowment for the Arts and public television
- quit funding earmarks for Robert Byrd statues and Alaskan bridges to nowhere
- stand up the public employee union bullies when it comes to negotiating collective bargaining agreements
- stop voting for Congressional raises
- stand up to the "environmentalist" goons and their job killing "solutions" to "global warming"
- Stop pumping billions
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:05 ET by Jerry- Stop pumping billions into the liberal indoctrination system known as public education. We are definitely losing the battle against illiteracy.
- Have Fitz pay back the 40+ million that he wasted investigating a non-crime.
- Stop sending trillions of dollars to assist countries who continue to hate our guts.
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
Given my screen name, you
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:11 ET by fitzfongGiven my screen name, you have to know that I'm on board with you on that second point. :-)
But the other two bullet points are really good, too.
cut the income requirements
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:53 ET by motherbeltcut the income requirements for SCHIP
??? I'll have to assume you mean reduce the amount of income that can be had and still be eligible for the benefit (such as WAY under $82,000)?
And as for reparing the roads and bridges, we've been paying gas taxes forever, supposedly for just that. They dumped it into the general fund and used it for everything but, now they say we have to have a tax increase to repair roads and bridges. Why should we expect them to actually do it this time?
mother
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:27 ET by candanceYes, SCHIP (if we have to maintain it) should not be for middle class families but strictly for those in poverty.
Re: roads and bridges. That's a big issue up here in Minnesota because of the collapse back in August. But here's the dirty little secret: the state has a surplus of 2 billion dollars, which they want to spend entirely on "other pressing issues" while blaming Bush for the lack of funding to fix the bridges.
Go figure that one out.
candance, you know the
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 06:28 ET by motherbeltcandance, you know the answer to that. If they use funds from the surplus, that would prove that they don't need a new tax. And you know they always need a new tax.
Like failing schools....the answer to any question whatsoever is: More money. New taxes.
BTW where do you live in MN? We moved here to PA from Eagan.
right mother
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 09:44 ET by candanceThey're talking about raising taxes next year...with a surplus...
They had a boom with the economy here in the past few years so they ended up with a big surplus - so they've already planned their budget in excess of the surplus and are saying they must raise taxes if their income drops.
I am not even kidding.
We just recently moved to Minnetonka.
whoops
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:28 ET by candancedouble post
Go Tar Heels!
:D
Grant Hill is making a
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:37 ET by MrShyGrant Hill is making a comeback on the Suns!
:p
"Are ZZ TOP part of the Taliban?? Think on it, son."
-- Professor TP&C (Talking Points & Cheetos)
oh well
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:53 ET by candanceLet him have his day. I'm not bitter. Really. I'm not.
BTW, where's JJ?
Katie Couric pledge....since liberalettes play politics
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:11 ET by Lame CherryI can put forward one pledge Katie Couric can make and run around with her little note pad getting all the multi millionaire liberals from her to Mort Zuckerman.........
Katie pledge that you will not TAKE ANY TAX DEDUCTIONS THIS YEAR. For example if your salary is 6 million per year, you pay 32% as you are thee rich you complain about. I know very well that you have tax accountants getting deductions. That 2 million you do not pay in taxes can simply be spent on bridges.
When EVERY liberal from Charlie Rose to Cynthia Tucker stops taking tax deductions in 10 years the thousands of you wealthly liberals will have paid for this infrastructure which really needs to be fixed and not the pet bridges to nowhere Murtha is hogging away.
So come on Katie, get your liberal big shots at the New York Times, CBS, Disney stop taking tax deductions for a decade and all that money you liberal trash are hording away will pay for the bridges.
Fred Thompson and company are you listening so you know what to hit Perky with to shut her stupid moronic mouth.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
I'm with you, LC. I said
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:08 ET by motherbeltI'm with you, LC. I said the same thing about Warren Buffet. He and the Clintons could give all the money they wants to the government, but they won't do it unless everyone else pays through the nose too.
They're like the politicians who keep saying there's too much money in politics. However, none of them are willing to give up any of it as long as other people are getting some.
Hypocrites all.
BTW, on a related note, today I heard an audio clip of Mrs. Clinton being asked about rolling back the Bush tax cuts, and she was talking about doing that on the "wealthiest Americans." And she had to mention that "my husband and I are in that group." It's just amazing how the pair of them, supposedly all "for the little guy" never miss an opportunity to tell everyone how rich they are.
Yup
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 00:50 ET by well99They always talk about raiseing taxes yet they take tax breaks.I wish they would ask that as a question on a debate.
A Dan Rather clone
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:31 ET by pocomocoCouric: “With the country fighting a costly war and going deeper into debt should the American people be expected to sacrifice more, and if so, specifically how?"
How can this woman, with no sense of reality, continue at CBS as a Dan Rather clone?
I think she would be more at home at MSNBC where she could compete with FOX's Greta Van Susteren’s nightly tabloid news.
“With the country
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:11 ET by Jerry“With the country fighting a costly war and going deeper into debt should the American people be expected to sacrifice more..."
With CBS fighting (and losing) a costly ratings war and going deeper into debt, should ridiculously overpaid news anchors be expected to sacrifice more??
When asked if he went to war with Iraq to derail the impeachment vote: “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).
Dear Katie...
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:26 ET by c5thenThe next President can pay for the remainder of the Iraq war by eliminating the Depratment of Education.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
Bah-zing!!
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:29 ET by PeskyDaneBah-zing!!
Hey perky one, I have a
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:30 ET by USA4freedomHey perky one,
I have a real great idea.
Why don’t you just “report the news”
Lets see what is the name of your show that is always in third place in a race of three, that’s right its called: CBS Evening News. Note: it does not say: CBS Evening left wing topic of the night. (that would be a lot closer then what its called now)
Some how, now that you have lost a million viewers this year, this is how it works. Tell me if I am going too fast for you..
First, someone sees a building burning, they call CBS,then..you tell us! Like this: Today, a building in down town Hope Arkansas burnedup. No one was hurt. See how easy that was?
We will figure “out on our own” that it was Bushes fault,with the help of global warming, in an attempt to make it look like terrorist fault. With the combination of Darth Vader/ Halliburton finding oil under that site that was once a Muslim shrine to the Clintons.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Yes
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 10:24 ET by celatorUSA4freedom...excellent.
Ka Ka Katy, why dont you
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 22:39 ET by charlietexasKa Ka Katy, why dont you kick in part of your milti milllllllion dollar contract to pay for the war, you useless liberal.
"...but “sacrifice” is
Thu, 12/06/2007 - 23:29 ET by robert108"...but “sacrifice” is the common media code word for raising taxes."
Actually, "sacrifice" is Marxist for what the proletariat do for the State(or, per Hillary; "the common good").
This puts Bill Clinton's book "Giving" in a whole new perspective, no?
The absolute problem with
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 01:19 ET by Gary P JacksonThe absolute problem with 90+ percent of all journalists today is they got into the profession for the wrong reason. Ask any of them and they will tell you the joined up "to make a difference"!
The job is REPORTING on events, not creating them. It's just like all of the polls out there. All of the networks run their own polls, with the questions worded to get the outcome they seek, so they can report their "findings". Total BS.
Last weekend I caught Money
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 08:58 ET by msh1973Last weekend I caught Money Talk with Bob Brinker...he went off on a rant saying the exact same thing. He use the word "sacrifice" as well. He related it to WWII and how the Country all "sacrificed" for the effort.
My thoughts were, how about instead of raising my already outragous taxes, why don't we put a halt to the "pork" coming out of Washington! If my taxes get any higher I might as well just give it all to the Government.
the difference
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 09:40 ET by candanceThe big difference between now and WW2 is that now they'd force us all to suffer AND they'd lose the war on terror.
There are two views on the
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 10:41 ET by BDThere are two views on the reasons for taxation.
1.) Taxes are levied in order to pay for government.
2.) Taxes are levied to gain revenge on those who are better off.
Since it is well known that reduced taxes produces increased revenue, then it is farcical to levy additional taxes IF it will only decrease revenue.
Therefore we must assume that Couric et al fall into the second point. They believe that taxes are meant to be levied for social purposes.
If we mean to pay for the war, a tax decrease or at least tax stability are in order.
candance, Not sure what
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 10:43 ET by msh1973candance,
Not sure what you mean by your comment?
about WW2
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 10:53 ET by candanceYou said it's being compared to the sacrifices everyone made for the war effort in WW2.
I was saying in this day and age we'd get all the sacrifice and none of the effort.
candance, Thanks, I am a
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 12:40 ET by msh1973candance,
Thanks, I am a little slow on the uptake today. :) I couldn't agree more.
Katie: We dont need
Fri, 12/07/2007 - 11:01 ET by bassndudeKatie:
We dont need higher taxes. We need less pork. Fewer bridges to nowhere. Fewer studies on the mating habbits of hobbits. No welfare, of any kind, for illegals. Want to lower gas prices? Send all the illegals home. That alone would save untold millions of gallons of fuel. There would be less demand and prices would go down. If we spent our time and money taking care of our own, here, in America, and less taking care of illegals, how much would that save? Billions. We send enough money abroad as aid to other countries. That is more than enough. Let them figure it out, and if they spend it unwisely, cut them off the next year.
I could go on, but I will stop here.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!