Chained CPI: A broken link at NPR

[unrepentant progress]

Part of the reason voters are so confused in this country is precisely because NPR's coverage of important issues is nearly as bad as Fox News. The only difference is NPR's listeners tend to be more affluent, and better educated, but not necessarily better informed.

"Until recently, the media have pretty much ignored the Chained CPI, and when they have done stories about it, they’ve mostly taken the view that it’s a “technical adjustment”—a characterization NPR’s Scott Horsley allowed the White House spokesman, Jay Carney, to make, without adequately explaining that it is, in fact, more than that.

<snip>

To some extent, NPR flirted with the “greedy geezer” meme about seniors and social benefits. Right after annoucing the president’s new budget, the story reported that “there are already protests about it from seniors and others who oppose reductions in spending for Medicare and Social Security.” That seemed to convey the notion the greedy geezers weren’t about to give up anything.

<snip>

On one side was Marc Goldwein, identified as from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a group that operates with money from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation. ... The critic from the other side was Max Richtman, who heads the advocacy group the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. Horsley summed up Richtman’s thinking, saying “if anything, he says, the current measure of inflation understates senior’s costs, especially for things like healthcare.” Richtman didn’t do much to illuminate potential problems with the Chained CPI. The story became a political piece—with Richtman saying his members want no part in such a compromise, but without making the case why the Chained CPI might not be good for many of them.

<snip>

So there you have it. Listeners in NPR-land may be as confused as ever about a change that maybe be moving beyond a Beltway story and into people’s lives. Surely NPR can do better helping them understand what the fuss is all about."
http://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/chained_cpi_missing_a_link_at.php?page=all

[Mika]

1. NPR has (w/a few exceptions) turned into a swillpit.

Find myself pounding my steering wheel more often these days while listening in my car.

[unrepentant progress]

2. I mostly just listen to the news at the top of Morning Edition and ATC

It's still on in the background during my morning routine for background noise, but I can't stand to pay attention to all the Peter G. Petersen sock puppets and AEI shills.