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A Prescription for Media Bias |
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Jeff's Blog
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By Jeff Davis on
12/15/2007
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One must wonder how a “reporter” like Rachel Stassen-Berger of the Pioneer Press actually goes about the process of writing a “story” about an organization with which she personally disagrees. Let’s give it a try.
Start by checking your journalism ethics at the door when you come to work. Conduct some interviews with the organization's principals, looking for dirt you can use against them. Scour the organization’s website and find something you can use out-of-context to convey a message that was never intended by the author. Throw in few misquotes and some restatements of the facts, and presto, you have a column fit for the editorial pages.
But that’s not where Ms. Stassen-Berger’s most recent "story" about Minnesota Majority appears. The Pioneer Press actually tries to pawn this kind of stuff off as “news”. Mainstream media bias in the Twin Cities is so thick you can cut it with a knife. But readers aren’t stupid and many are choosing to drop their subscriptions. One has to wonder when executive management at these organizations is going to wake-up and realize that bias is bad for business.
COMPARISION OF STASSEN-BERGER'S COLUMN TO THE TRUTH
| Stassen-Berger’s |
The Truth |
| In the original version of her column she wrote, “In the ad, Kiffmeyer said Democrats in the state support ‘socialistic’ universal health care.” |
The ad says “Liberal politicians are trying to impose a state-sponsored universal healthcare plan upon all Minnesotans.” The truth is that there are liberal politicians on both sides of the isle. |
| "There has been no recent proposal to have the state take over all health care coverage." |
There have been several proposals made by Minnesota state politicians to increase government involvement in health care. |
| "Minnesota Majority's Web site features an issue paper on health care, which backs consumer-driven health care and claims that racial diversity and single-parent households negatively affect health in the United States." |
There was absolutely no tinge of racism in the health care issue paper. Nor did it imply any negative judgment about single-parent households. It simply stated a demographic fact that helps explain differences in medical statistics between countries. The author of the issue paper contacted Stassen-Berger directly offering to help resolve her confusion. But the "reporter" didn't bother to return his telephone call, apparently more interested in pursuing her agenda to try to discredit our organization. Because people like Stassen-Berger had trouble understanding the author's original intent, the issue paper has been updated so as to make the author's point perfectly clear, such that even Stassen-Berger should now understand it. |
| "Jeff Davis, who has been active in pushing for a Minnesota anti-gay marriage amendment, is its president." |
Jeff Davis has never used the terminology “anti-gay marriage amendment”. It is a term made-up by Left-wing media types to try to put the proposed legislation in a negative light. |
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House Minority Leadership Proposes Free Market Health Care |
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Drew's Blog
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By Drew Emmer on
12/11/2007
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House Minority Leader Marty Seifert and Representative Jim Abeler, the ranking minority member of the Health & Human Services Committee, held a press conference this morning unveiling a new proposal for health care reform. The core principles advanced in the proposal included Freedom and Choice; Privacy and Security; and No Government Takeover of Health Care.
"The health care issue is complicated and we must be very clear to avoid any confusion about our values,” said Rep. Abeler. To that end, the legislators said that the press conference would help set the stage for more specific forums on health care in the near future.
Most mainstream news organizations gave scant press coverage of the conference. As such, we decided to provide more information by posting videos of the actual press conference and follow-up interviews with Reps. Seifert and Abeler.
We have extended an invitation to DFL legislative leaders to offer them the opportunity to state their positions on health care.
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Someone Is Watching |
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Jeff's Blog
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By Jeff Davis on
12/9/2007
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We now appear to have evidence of what most people have suspected for years. As of December 3, the Star Tribune newspaper had published just six letters in response to Nick Coleman’s attack piece on Archbishop Nienstedt (besides the Archbishop's formal response). And four of the six letters were in support of Coleman. But here's the most revealing fact exposing the newspaper's apparent bias -- NOT ONE of the over 60 letters critical of Coleman's column submitted through our website were published by the newspaper.
We informed our members of this fact last week. They responded by sending over 200 emails to the Star Tribune’s senior management (some even elected to cancel their subscriptions). Star Tribune executives were evidently not very happy. Several members reported terse and angry replies to telephone calls placed to the Star Tribune. Scott Gillespie, the newspaper's editor, officially responded today with a column suggesting that our members’ letters were somehow inferior because they were submitted through our organization’s website. While some of our members' letters made use of some standard talking points, most were original and thoughtful responses to Coleman’s diatribe (see for yourself by reading sample letters submitted by Minnesota Majority members).
One might wonder why Mr. Gillespie seems to be so terribly concerned about the method used to deliver a letter to the editor. The answer is quite simple. For the first time, an independent organization has the ability to measure and confirm what most people have suspected for years. The Star Tribune appears to be censoring the public's response to their Leftist agenda. Mr. Gillespie is now on notice – someone is watching.
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Nine States Now Offer Illegals In-State Tuition - Will Minnesota Be Next? |
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Drew's Blog
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By Drew Emmer on
12/5/2007
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Nine states have passed laws allowing illegal immigrants to attend colleges and universities for the same cost as a legal in-state resident. Are American students being unfairly biased by this arguably "illegal" competition for a coveted slot in class?
California, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and Washington currently offer illegal immigrants in-state tuition rates. American citizens that attend school outside of the state of their primary residence are, in many cases, required to pay almost twice as much tuition as illegal immigrants.
Under U.S. law, illegal immigrants may not hold any job in the United States. That raises the question as to why we would offer educational advantages to the very people we prohibit from having a legitimate job in our country. Students without legal immigrant status continue to be ineligible for federal financial aid, although states are required to provide K-12 public education as a result of a 1982 Supreme Court decision.
The Wall Street Journal raised the possibility that the whole in-state tuition benefit for illegal aliens issue has been nothing more than a vote buying ploy for politicians appealing to hispanic illegals:
"Promoters expect few students to actually take up the benefit. Dropout rates are high and academic scores generally are low among Hispanics, who account for the majority of illegal aliens. "
In-state tuition for illegal aliens is a violation of Federal Law. Federal Law Title 8, Chapter 14, Sec. 1623 states:
"an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States shall not be eligible on the basis of residence within a State... for any postsecondary education benefit unless a citizen or national of the United States is eligible for such a benefit."
In-state tuition for illegals is in fact a form of amnesty masquerading as an incentive for education.
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Archbishop Condemned for Stating Catholic Teaching on Human Sexuality |
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Jeff's Blog
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By Jeff Davis on
11/28/2007
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You don’t have to be Catholic to be concerned about the harsh attacks recently levied against John Nienstedt, Coadjutor Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. For the second time in less than a week, Archbishop John Nienstedt has been publically vilified for simply communicating the Catholic Church’s teaching on human sexuality. In today’s Minneapolis Star Tribune, Nick Coleman castigated the Archbishop for his recent column in the Catholic Spirit newspaper in which the Archbishop concisely and charitably explained the Catholic Church's teaching regarding a homosexual's obligation to chastity and the Church's obligation to support and encourage such a chaste lifestyle. Nick Coleman’s criticisms, together with those of other homosexual activists, expose a deep-seated intolerance and hatred some have towards those who hold traditional values regarding human sexuality. Send a note of thanks to Archbishop Nienstedt for standing-up to the intimidation tactics of homosexual activists. Send a message to Star Tribune's executive management in response to Nick Coleman's column.
UPDATES: Read Archbishop Nienstedt's response letter to Nick Coleman's column. Watch a video news story about protestors who gathered at the Catherderal of St. Paul.
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New Stem Cell Method Could Ease Ethical Concerns |
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Jeff's Blog
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By Jeff Davis on
11/21/2007
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Two prominent embryonic stem cell scientists have published results showing that they can produce cells with the qualities of embryonic stem cells directly from human skin cells without the need for creating or destroying embryos, without cloning, and without the need for eggs used in cloning. It appears scientists can now work with "embryonic-like" stem cells without grappling with ethical concerns. Minnesota state legislators sponsoring the current embryonic stem cell research bill which would provide state funding for the destruction of human embroys should withdraw their bill and instead focus their efforts on this promising new technology.
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Colorado Supreme Court Ruling Begs Personhood Question For The Unborn |
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Drew's Blog
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By Drew Emmer on
11/16/2007
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Colorado pro-life activists recently made significant progress in challenging the validity of the 1973 U.S Supreme Court rulling of Roe v. Wade. The Colorado Supreme Court voted unanimously to allow a group called Colorado for Equal Rights to conduct a petition drive for a ballot initiative to establish personhood for the unborn.
The right to life is a fundamental principle of the U.S Constitution. Minnesota's constitution likewise states, "Government is instituted for the security, benefit and protection of the people..." (Minnesota Constitution Article I). Most Minnesotans support the idea of banning public funding for abortion, if not outlawing the procedure entirely.
Although Minnesota is not an initiative and referendum state, this victory in Colorado is clearly a harbinger of a new wave of optimism for the defenders of the unborn in Minnesota. We will keep a close eye on the progress of this initiative in Colorado and inform you of additional developments as they occur.
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Laura Ingraham Brings POWER TO THE PEOPLE of Minnesota |
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Jeff's Blog
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By Jeff Davis on
10/20/2007
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Laura Ingraham spoke at O'Shaugnessy Auditorium as part of her national tour promoting her new book entitled Power to the People. Laura issued a call to action -- pleadiing with Americans of good will to reinvigorate our birthright of liberty, to reconnect to our American heritage, to revive our commitment to traditional, conservative principles, and to grow as people by summoning our moral resolve and living our faith. This short video shows Laura discussing the importance of holding firm to our beliefs about traditional values and doing what's right in life. You can become part of the solution by joining Minnesota Majority.
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