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Comment by oceanghost | Hacker News Reader

As a Norweigan, you may not be in possession of certain facts about the US politics.

1. Almost all media in the US is severely biased.

2. This to me at least looks like something called the "national parks strategy." This is when the government funds its unpopular pet projects (frequently theft), and underfunds popular programs such as national parks, roads and the like then threatens the public with their closure if they do not pass tax increases. Frequently, if the tax is passed, they do a show project and misallocate the rest of the money. Over the time citizens have become wise and vote--entirely rationally-- for the safest option which is, no new taxes.

California is in the midst of such a battle now: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/may/11/californians...

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The media isn't biased as much as you think. It's anti-confrontational, which means stories about things people are upset about often get minified. However, the Washington Times, which you linked to, is fantastically biased. It's owned by the Unification Church, and has been repeatedly criticized for its pro-Moon stance. If you want to know what's really happening, don't read the washington times.

US media is biased. Try this experiment: find a conservative friend and a liberal friend. Ask each of these friends which of the two papers in the parent and OP is more biased and which is more fact-based.

Your conservative friend will tell you the Washington Times is more fact-based and the New York Times is heavily biased. Your liberal friend will tell you the New York Times is more fact-based and the Washington Times is heavily biased.

Your first conclusion might be that one of your friends (whichever one whose beliefs oppose yours more) is insane or uneducated on what you know is true.

The more likely conclusion, however, is that each of these papers weaves heavy amounts of opinion, spin, and perspective on the "facts" it conveys, and that opinion and spin is invisible to those who share the same biases, while being conspicuous and grating to those who do not.

Interesting, thanks for that information.

Just so you know, the washington times is a radical right wing publication. I live in California, and the tiny tax increase on vehicles is both

a. well below the rate of inflation

and

b. not enraging people.

Well, this only proves my point I suppose. I did not know that-- but amnusingly... I live in Orange County, and believe me the recall is real and it is going to happen.

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