Franken-Lies-And-the-Lying-Liars-Who-Tell

say they're to the right on economic issues as say they're to the left. And when it comes to
Social Security, Medicare, free trade, corporate power, taxes, and health care, the study
shows that journalists are significantly to the right of the general public.
Charts bore me. At least, regular charts bore me. That's why I've decided to pep this
one up a little bit with some gentle humor (See next page).
So journalists are economically conservative. But this makes sense, given their position
in society. Journalists have it made. Their lives are trouble-free. If you've ever met a
journalist, you'll know what I mean. They're the happiest people on God's earth.
But put their contentment and good cheer to the side for a moment, and consider:
Why is it that journalists are only one fifth as likely as the general public to have a negative
view of NAFTA? And why does every major news outlet line up in favor of every opportunity
to expand free trade?
It's simple, actually. Here's how free trade works. Tariffs on imports go down, and
along with them go prices on products that journalists buy, like those fedoras you always see
in the movies. That's the upside. The downside of free trade is that low-skilled fedora-making
jobs get exported overseas. So lower prices for consumers, but job insecurity for those with
low skills.
Journalists are pro free trade precisely because they know that their jobs are not at risk
for exportation. That's the same reason why I've always been pro NAFTA, pro GATT, and
pro fast track authority. I know that a fourteen-year-old Bangladeshi might be able to sew my
sneakers (and he did a great job), but there's no way he could write this book.
Or so I thought.
When I was explaining the idea for this chapter to my editor, Mitch, it gave him an
idea. Why not save a few bucks and have a fourteen-year-old Bangladeshi boy write the
book? Fortunately for me, his first attempt proved my point. Try as he might, Kharap Jura
could not capture my hip, sophisticated New York sensibility. But judge for yourself.
Issue Journalists Public Comment and/or Witticism
Reforming Social Security by
See how journalists differ from the
slowing spending should be one 56% 35%
public?
of our top few priorities
Protecting Social Security and
Medicare should be one of our
top few priorities
39% 59%
Might it be relevant that half of all
journalists make six-figure salaries?