NY Times & WaPo downplay Dems on minimum wage; credit Repubs

[dajoki]

Media Matters
http://mediamatters.org/items/200607280006

Fri, Jul 28, 2006 6:55pm EST

NY Times, Wash. Post obscured Democratic support for minimum wage increase, uncritically repeated anti-wage increase argument
Summary: The New York Times and The Washington Post credited GOP "moderates" with forcing the Republican leadership to allow a vote on increasing the minumum wage, burying the fact that Democrats have been pushing for years to increase the minimum wage. The Times and the Post also uncritically repeated the argument, often put forth by opponents of a wage increase, that a higher minimum wage will result in job losses and discourage job creation.

In reporting on the House Republicans' move to allow a vote on legislation that would increase the federal minimum wage before Congress adjourns for the summer, The New York Times and The Washington Post credited GOP "moderates" with forcing the Republican leadership to allow the vote and buried the fact that Democrats have been pushing for years to increase the minimum wage. Also, the Times and the Post uncritically repeated the argument, often put forth by opponents of a wage increase, that a higher minimum wage will result in job losses and discourage job creation. Research has shown that increasing the minimum wage does not result in job loss or negatively affect employment.

On June 21, the GOP-controlled Senate defeated an amendment, proposed by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) to a defense bill, calling for a minimum-wage increase -- to $7.25 per hour from the current $5.15 per hour, where it has remained since 1997. No Democrats voted against the amendment (Kennedy's amendment was actually agreed to by the Senate in a 52-46 vote, but due to Senate procedural rules, the amendment was withdrawn when it did not receive the support of three-fifths of the Senate). CNN congressional producer Ted Barrett wrote in a June 28 article on CNN.com: "During the past nine years ... Democrats have tried unsuccessfully to increase the minimum wage."

But in his July 28 article, Post staff writer Jonathan Weisman credited "politically embattled moderates" with forcing the Republican leadership's hand, writing:

House Republican leaders, bowing to pressure from their politically embattled moderates, agreed to seek a vote on raising the minimum wage, but House and Senate negotiations on a broad overhaul of the nation's private pension laws broke up last night in intraparty acrimony.

It was not until the ninth paragraph (out of 21) that Weisman acknowledged the strong support among Democrats for the minimum-wage increase: "Democrats and some Republicans have been pushing an increase from $5.15 an hour to $7.25, but most Republicans oppose it, as do small-business groups."

[Rose Siding]

1. ABC put it in the 5th or 6th paragraph. It's so villianous.

Their headline was "GOP Confident of Minimum Wage Increase". The REAL headline could have been found deeper in the article: "Democrats Accuse Republicans of Blackmailing Working Poor".

It's disgusting. The political patrons of the Waltons versus wage slaves.

[dajoki]

2. Yes, I read that article...

that's the "liberal media" for you.

[Rageneau]

3. The GOP depends on the MSM to keep the people fooled.