Klein is to reporting what sub-prime mortgages are to the financial system. A cancer.

Thanks Glenn for following the light.

It's no surprise that Klein gets slaughtered in Time's own comments section attached to his article but apparently hasn't bothered to read any of THAT either. How could he? Unfortunately, neither will many (any?) of Time's readership. THAT'S the bigger problem. People read this stuff and just let it wash over them.

Thank you for all of your hard work, Glenn.

You are single-handedly moving the frame regarding key legal issues.

Keep it up.

You are appreciated.

Your work has value beyond riling my blood pressure.

God bless. (And that's coming from a devout atheist, if you get my point.)

Glenn, when your posts have sections that are separated by asterisks, does that mean that Salon has edited the original piece, or is it your own way of breaking the information into sections?

Now, with that question out of the way, let me just say that this post was impressive in its simplicity. What more proof do we need that our traditional news outlets have transmogrified into something that is worse than useless--something that is, in fact, detrimental to truth and freedom? I'm reminded again of Ellsworth Toohey in "The Fountainhead," twisting words so that he could twist the minds of his readers. Thank you for shining a light on this practice.

The very idea of a reporter and a major news magazine publishing a piece about a crucial bill that neither the reporter nor any editor has ever even bothered to read is amazing. No blogger that I read regularly would ever think about doing that. --Glenn

I mean, once in a while being a bit lazy, and talking someone's word for something is one thing as long as you slam them for it later, but the whole Village does this every time. You can tell if you pay any attention. The only thing I can figure is that this is what their bosses want.
This particular incident should get Joe fired. I would fire him in an instant for a transgression like this, but he won't be fired. In fact, I bet he will be given crap at the next party (Do they have these every day? Is that why he can't be bothered to read a bill?) for the weasel post making him look weak and a bad reflection on the whole Village.

...every day of the week. And if it's too ridiculous to believe the first time, why, they'll just keep on repeating it like a three year old child until it becomes common knowledge.

I think you are too kind to old Joe. I think he's well aware of his role.

Glenn, in one of the Thanksgiving threads, I put up a couple of links to two Noam Chomsky clips in which he talked about "two types of Democracy", the elites (apropos of Lippmann) and the function of the media as a "gov't" pr/propaganda mechanism.

You might find it a worthwhile 20 min. or so to take a look at it.

Glenn, when your posts have sections that are separated by asterisks, does that mean that Salon has edited the original piece, or is it your own way of breaking the information into sections?

The latter. Salon never edits my posts.

Yet Klein's function -- like those of most of his colleagues -- isn't to report what actually happened, so he'll never say that.

This is exactly why such a high percentage of Americans came to believe that Sadaam was behind 9/11.

There was no one in our media to point out that these assertions were not only just GOP talking points, but completely false ones at that.

Klein’s “function” (like so many of his colleagues) is to give the illusion of neutrality and objectivity to GOP spin. It worked well on the Saddam myth.

And, since the only ones who are pointing out their true function are bloggers it is imperative that bloggers be dismissed as “untrustworthy” at the very least, if not outright insane conspiracy theorists.

You will notice that if someone does attempt to refute Glenn, it will not be on the facts, but on the “tone” he takes (“hysterical”) or a personal attack that will have the message: don’t believe what this person is saying.

That’s the true purpose of the establishment media’s condescension toward bloggers and alternative media – it’s so they don’t have to refute actual charges or confront the facts of a particular issue. That’s a very important purpose and why bloggers will continue to be ridiculed and dismissed as “not serious.”

Apparently there's a dearth of talent out there that is capable of reporting as it was meant to be. What are the students in journalism school being taught? Where are the bright young minds that could chase these doddering old fools out into the light? How many times can Klein be exposed as absurd before his editors question his ethics and ability? As has been the case for many years, more questions are generated from an article like this than answers. I guess the business must be protected, and the truth left out in the cold.

Hey Glenn,

Another great post, as always. My guess is you've contacted Time's editors; any preliminary word? Do they think that their reporters/columnists should actually read (and be able to understand) the bills they comment on?

Keep up the amazing work. As other commenters have said, it is important work and much appreciated.

Cheers, Steve S.

"Klein is to reporting what sub-prime mortgages are to the financial system."

So when is the bubble going to burst?

...is that few of them can resist the temptation to wish a problem away by lying also to themselves. They can wish that talk radio can bring them victory next November, they can wish that increasing the carbon dioxide by 20% in the atmosphere does not cause global warming, they can wish Iraqi majority will tolerate an indefinite US troop presence, but wishing, or killing, or bribing, or lying won't make it so. The American electorate will go along with the selfishness of Team Empire most of the time bu react sharply when the consequences of hubris become plain. After the crisis is past, in their estimation, they can go back to voting for a tax-cut promiser.