The NYT War on Social Democracy
by Stephen Lendman
The self-styled newspaper of record is on the wrong side of numerous vital domestic and geopolitical issues.
It supports naked US aggression over world peace and stability, anti-constitutional police state laws, and neoliberal harshness over social justice, along with countless other examples of backing anti-populist measures.
The record of America’s self-styled newspaper of record is deplorable – supporting wealth, power, privilege over democratic values and the public welfare.
It’s comfortable about toppling sovereign independent governments. It loves tinpot despots Republicans and undemocratic Dems support – notably US-installed Ukrainian putschists, the Saudi regime, and ruthless Israeli apartheid, including its slow-motion genocide against defenseless Palestinians.
It's silent about eroding freedoms in the US, its fantasy democracy, and duopoly rule with two extremist right wings. Along with endorsing money-controlled sham elections, it opposes America’s social contract.
It lied about the importance and viability of Social Security and Medicare, falsely saying: “Of course (sic), neither program is sound for the long run (sic),” adding:
“(A) combination of benefits cuts and tax increases is required,” separately saying: “There is no way to wrestle down the deficit without reigning in Medicare costs (sic).”
Note: Medicare for all would “wrestle” them down by over $500 billion annually by eliminating the need for private insurance, companies extracting many pounds of flesh while providing no medical services for people needing them.
To its disgrace, the Times opposes universal healthcare, falsely claiming higher taxes will be required to fund it.
The Times: Without “reforms” (in Social Security), full benefits can only be paid “until 2033 (sic).” The Times called for cutting benefits when increasing them is needed. It lied claiming the viability of Social Security is “worse than you think (sic).”
When properly administered, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are sound and secure for the longterm, at most modest adjustments needed – notably by having wealthy Americans pay their fair share into the system, unlike how things are today.
Instead of being on the right side of vital issues and informing its readers accurately about them, the Times consistently goes the other way.
Since Hugo Chavez’s 1998 election as Venezuela’s president, it supported efforts by four US regimes to remove him from office, including by coup d’etat, the latest attempt ongoing by Trump hardliners.
In an April fool’s day propaganda report, the Times blamed Trump regime sabotage of Venezuela’s electricity grid on President Maduro – a bald-faced Big Lie, compounded by the following Big Lies, saying:
“In the past six years, citizens have increasingly been left to fend for themselves (sic) as President Nicolas Maduro’s government has proved unable to provide even the most basic services like food, health care, electricity and, soon, water (sic).”
“If the first blackout on March 7 exposed how decades of misrule (sic) have destroyed the country’s economy, society and its infrastructure (sic), the last one left no hope that the government has the capacity to find solutions to the country’s many problems (sic).”
Reality is world’s apart from the above remarks. They ignore illegal ongoing Trump regime sanctions war and other dirty tricks on Venezuela to topple its legitimate government.
The Times is silent about the ongoing coup attempt, pretending what’s going on is strictly an internal affair.
Falsely claiming no “prospect of (things) ever getting better” defied reality. Saying “(h)ospitals across the country collapsed” from blackout conditions was another bald-faced Big Lie. Generator power lets them operate normally when the electrical grid was attacked.
The Times: “Numerous images of people collecting water from polluted rivers were posted on social media, foreshadowing epidemics that an already struggling health care system will be unable to cope with.”
Fact: According to Venezuelan Water Care Minister Evelyn Vasquez, water availability was restored in affected areas after each sabotage attack.
Located in a valley, lower areas of Caracas were restored first. State-owned Hidrocapital maintained a potable water distribution plan to provide it through cisterns until the pumping systems were fully restored.
The Times: “As the blackout dragged on, it became difficult to buy food…”
Fact: Images showed well-stocked food market shelves, customers able to make purchases without problems.
Government-subsidized food aids poor and low-income Venezuelans. No one is going hungry for lack of access – polar opposite false claims otherwise by the Times and other media scoundrels.
The Times falsely claimed Venezuelan streets are unsafe. Observers on the ground report people going about their daily business normally, things calm and orderly.
The Times: “Dozens of patients died when old generators failed to kick in. Doctors at the Domingo Luciani Hospital in Caracas described the futile task of trying to keep patients alive with manually pumped respirators. Newborn babies died in idle incubators.”
Fact: The above is an especially despicable bald-faced Big Lie. Running on generators during blackouts, hospitals functioned normally, no deaths reported, no treatments unable to be performed because of electricity grid sabotage.
The Times: “(T)here is little that a government that is bankrupt, delegitimized and now sanctioned can do for its people.”
With limited resources from the effects of Trump regime sanctions war, Maduro’s government continues providing vital services to Venezuelans – greatly aided by Russia, Cuba, China, and other nations.
The NYT is a lying machine, a national disgrace. It long ago abandoned journalism the way it’s supposed to be – operating instead as an imperial press agent, along with supporting Wall Street and other corporate predators.
VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home – Stephen Lendman). Contact at [email protected].
My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."
