{"id":13424,"date":"2019-11-28T16:53:02","date_gmt":"2019-11-29T00:53:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=13424"},"modified":"2019-11-28T16:53:04","modified_gmt":"2019-11-29T00:53:04","slug":"if-medicare-for-all-too-risky-how-would-nyt-have-reported-push-for-social-security-abolition-or-the-overthrow-of-king-george-iii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2019\/11\/28\/if-medicare-for-all-too-risky-how-would-nyt-have-reported-push-for-social-security-abolition-or-the-overthrow-of-king-george-iii\/","title":{"rendered":"If Medicare for All ‘Too Risky,’ How Would NYT Have Reported Push for Social Security, Abolition, or the Overthrow of King George III?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November 27, 2019 by Common Dreams<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If this is how they cover the effort to secure health care as a human right, I began to wonder how\u00a0 the\u00a0Times<\/em>\u00a0editorial staff cover other momentous changes in American history.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

by Mark Dudzic<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A middle-aged man reading the ‘New York Times’ in an armchair in this archive image. (Photo: George Marks\/Retrofile\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tuesday of this week, the New York Times<\/em> posted this headline<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"nyt_medicare_for_all_too_risky.jpg\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As one of the dozens of articles emanating from political establishment organs\u2014including the Times<\/em>, the Washington Post,<\/em> and the Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u2014these pieces can be taken as an indicator of how much distress the growing movement to win Medicare for All is causing  Washington insiders. And you can always count on the “paper of record” to find the appropriate “leaders,” “officials,” and “staffers” to weigh in with appropriate gravitas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So it got me to wondering.  How would the Times<\/em> editorial staff cover other momentous changes in American history? A quick search of the imaginary web\u2014which operates in my mind\u2014came up with these tidbits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Social Security Too Risky,’ Democratic Party Leaders Say<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NYT: March 1, 1935) \u2014 Responding to President Roosevelt\u2019s vow to push for the passage of Social Security in the recently convened Congress, several Democratic leaders urged caution.  “This could really screw things up for the 1936 election cycle,” said one.  A prominent financial backer of the party added, “We’ve already stabilized the banking industry and Wall Street is running smoothly again. I don’t see what the urgency is.” Officials are suggesting that Congress would be better off adopting a “Social Security for Those Who Want It” plan.  Under the plan, every American would have the freedom to choose to purchase a government-backed retirement plan underwritten by America\u2019s largest investment banking operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Abolition Too Risky,’ Republican Party Leaders Say<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NYT: December 12, 1864) \u2014 Responding to President Lincoln\u2019s vow to push for the passage of a constitutional amendment to abolish slavery in his second term, several Republican leaders urged caution.  “This could play right into the hands of our opponents and really hurt our electoral prospects in the midterms,” said one. A prominent financial backer of the party added, \u201cThe Confederates are on the run and the war will soon be over. I don’t see what the urgency is.  What we really need is a plan to stabilize the cotton industry because Egypt is eating our lunch.”  Officials are suggesting that Congress would be better off adopting the “Abolition for Those Who Want It” plan.  Under the plan, enslaved Americans would have the choice to purchase their freedom or remain enslaved. Family plans would be available and generous financing terms would be underwritten by America’s largest investment banking operations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

‘Independence Too Risky,’ Tory Leaders Say<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(NYT: July 5, 1776)\u2014Responding to the Continental Congress’ Declaration of Independence, several Tory leaders urged caution.  “We were hoping to promote moderate Brits to run for Parliament and help gain more favorable treatment for the colonies,” said one. “This declaration will just piss them off.” A prominent financial backer of the party added, “We’ve already been able to resolve most of our trade issues with the Crown.  I don’t see what the urgency is.” Officials are suggesting that the Continental Congress consider the “Independence for Those Who Want It,” plan.  Under the plan, the Northwest Territories would be opened up for settlement by those who support independence with the promise that a later Parliament will give serious consideration to any petition that they may submit requesting independence.  The government would back land purchases in the territories with generous financing terms underwritten by America’s largest investment banking operations.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"Mark<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mark Dudzic<\/strong><\/a> is a longtime union activist and former national organizer of the Labor Party. He currently serves as national coordinator of the Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare<\/a>. Follow the LCSP on Twitter: @LaborforSPayer<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

November 27, 2019 by Common Dreams If this is how they cover the effort to secure health care as a human right, I began to wonder how\u00a0 the\u00a0Times\u00a0editorial staff cover other momentous changes in American history. by Mark Dudzic A middle-aged man reading the ‘New York Times’ in an armchair… Continue reading → <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13424"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13424"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13424\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13425,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13424\/revisions\/13425"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13424"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13424"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13424"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}