Nobel Economist Hints NYT Propaganda Against Public Pensions Can’t Be Trusted

[Donnachaidh]

http://my.firedoglake.com/scarecrow/2011/01/21/nobel-economist-hints-nyt-propaganda-against-public-pensions-cant-be-trusted/

Can it be the New York Times worries it may lose the fact-free deficit hysteria propaganda market to the Washington Post? Today’s Times has its leading front page article suggesting public employee retirements benefits are so out of control and breaking the backs of state budgets that we may need a Constitutional Amendment to push States into bankruptcy. That way, the poor states can renege on their promises to public employees, defy their own state constitutions, and just for giggles, break the backs of employee unions.

The two-column, front page headline hides the responsibility for this propaganda hit piece in the passive voice:

A Path is Sought for States To Escape Debt Burdens

. . . which is followed by the subheading, “Traditional Bankruptcy Is Not an Option, but Versions of It Gain Support.”

The editorial viewpoint in this “news” is then reinforced by the first five paragraphs, all above the fold, making it appear that responsible policy makers are hard at work trying to solve this very hard problem before it forces defunding of essential public programs. Just marvel at the dishonest journalism:

Policy makers are working behind the scenes to come up with a way to let states declare bankruptcy and get out from under crushing debts, including the pensions they have promised to retired public workers.

Unlike cities, the states are barred from seeking protection in federal bankruptcy court. Any effort to change that status would have to clear high constitutional hurdles because the states are considered sovereign.


More at the link --

[xchrom]

1. Recommend

[Swamp Rat]

2. THEY are coming for your pensions, Medicaid and Social Security

Your liver is next.

[MoonRiver]

3. Morning Joe and Mika have been pushing this crap for months.

They also want to decimate Social Security. But of course the cretins don't tell us what workers are supposed to live on in their old age if EVERY safety net available is removed. :mad:

[WinkyDink]

6. "No, Mr. Bond; I expect you to DIE!"

[CTyankee]

4. How can they do this to people who worked their entire lives with the promise of their

pension, which THEY themselves contributed to? Don't they realize what an economic dislocation in our society that would be? What happens to retired school teachers, fire fighters, police? I have a friend who is a plumber working for the state university and his knees are shot at age 60. He has to retire at 62,his body can't do what he did when he was 20. I don't begrudge him his pension!

This is madness...you cannot "beggar" a group of people in your society and call yourself civilized...

[ThomCat]

5. They want to systematically destroy every safety net.

The few public pensions that are left are in their sites. They want to destroy them so that public money can only be used for law enforcement and outsourcing for any other necessary service.