JUNE 23, 2008 --

LPR realizes that “media” spelled backwards is aid em which might explain the tendency of journalists to aid one side or the other, usually the left. Still, slanted reporting in LPR’s view, has to become a slippery slope, lacking meaningful information.

Yahoo carried on line, June 16, a Dallas News report expressing surprise the impact of the record oil costs has been so wide on prices, generally. If there were a Duh prize in journalism, this report would clearly be a top contender.

But with the media looking for all kinds of excuses for oil price hikes, perhaps some media outlets have to express shock when they cannot cover up what is obvious to all thinking people.

Of course, LPR does not expect “investigative reporters” (the term is a joke) to show much interest in following the money – from gas pump to eventual recipient. But a Saudi official as much as acknowledged, in saying that oil prices are not normal, that the Saudis and their friends have made their bundle and now prices can settle a bit – but at higher levels than they had been.

Can things get better for us? Sure, if we work together and don’t rely on our politicians—of either party, who every day in office contravene the spirit of Federalist 57 calling on them to serve the common good, to treat themselves no differently than they treat the people and, in fact, to stand with the people.

Where is the reporter who will ask candidates to measure their performance against the counsel of Federalist 57. Do today’s reporters even know there is a Federalist 57.

LPR wouldn’t be surprised if media people thought The Federalist Papers are publications of right wing extremist groups.

If Republicans had the ability for effective response to Democratic attack (they don't) they would point out that the public interest is not served by a media that slants the news.   

Slanted news is the antithesis of investigative reporting--slanted news also, in the view of LPR, encourages lazy reporting.  

A newspaper, like the Dallas News that is surprised by the obvious  cannot be expected to show interest in informing the public about the machinations of Big Oil.

Slanted news will, perhaps, serve a special, or political, interest for a time -- but such advantage cannot last long and will cause harm to the common good, harm hardly in the public interest.    

There is no substitute for honesty in reporting.  Now why can't Republicans think of pointing that out?