Alabama editorial roundup: Nov. 1, 2018 edition
Recent editorials from Alabama newspapers: ___ Oct. 30 The Gadsden Times on now compared to 1968: Many folks with graying (or thinning) hair and achy joints remember 1968. With apologies to Ervin Drake, composer of a song that was a hit for Frank Sinatra in 1965, it wasn’t a very good year. Oh, it ended all right for fans of the Detroit Tigers (who won the World Series), the Beatles (the “white album” was released that year) and the space race (the first two Apollo flights took place in the fall and winter, capped by Apollo 8′s gutsy lunar orbital mission at Christmastime). However, those highlights were preceded by assassinations (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy) and world crises (the Vietnam War reached peak ugliness with the Tet offensive; North Korea captured a U.S. ship, killing one sailor and holding 82 others in brutal captivity for nearly a year; and the Soviet Union and its allies put down reform efforts in Czechoslovakia). There also were massive protests (against U.S. involvement in Vietnam and for civil rights) that, unfortunately, flared into violence, particularly following King’s murder and at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (No one who saw the scene outside the International Amphitheater, broadcast in real time on TV, will ever forget it). So, why are we offering a history lesson about what Smithsonian Magazine has called “The Year That Shattered America?“ Consider the news of the last week: A man allegedly killed two African-American shoppers at a grocery store in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, after trying unsuccessfully a few minutes earlier to enter a black church. (We doubt his intentions were to pray at the altar.) A Florida man was charged with sending mail bombs — forget what you’ve seen on social media; they weren’t duds — to a bunch of prominent Democrats, including former President Barack Obama. A Pittsburgh man with an assault rifle, three pistols and a history of virulent and repugnant anti-Semitism is accused of slaughtering 11 worshippers, most of them elderly, at a synagogue in the city’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood. So, it’s not floating into the ether to think back to 1968 — 50 years ago; imagine that — and wonder if history is on the verge of repeating or even topping itself, especially seven days out from a midterm election that’s being spun as Armageddon by some of our brethren in the national media and by opposing political forces who are convinced that this is good vs. evil and the very survival of mankind depends on their respective side prevailing. Some will call that hyperbole; we increasingly see reality. Some will accuse us of saying “both sides do it.” No, we aren’t; we’re reinforcing our position that this country is so polarized right now, you could present the exact same information and variables to a group of people and they will see, hear and believe entirely different things. Such polarization also contributes to dislodging the tenuous governors that, up until now, have kept cretins like the three who became infamous last week, and others who have committed violent acts in the past, from acting on those impulses. It’s not going away in seven days. Neither will the ’round-the-clock discussion of the political implications of these horrific crimes, which of course commenced before the police tape had been secured at the crime scenes. Neither will the passions over the ultimate direction of this country, whose citizens increasingly aren’t able to connect on any level. So this likely will fall on deaf ears, but we’ve got to try. Everybody from the White House to residents of the country’s smallest voting precinct needs to tone it down, because this particular trip “back to the future” doesn’t need to happen. We fear the consequences if it does. Online: https://www.gadsdentimes.com/ ___ Oct. 28 The Decatur Daily on U.S. House races: … North Alabama’s two representatives in the U.S. House take opposite approaches to listening to their constituents. Rep. Mo Brooks has served as the Fifth District’s congressman since 2011. In his nearly eight years in office, he has grown increasingly detached from his constituents. He took two years off from holding town hall meetings, claiming the political climate was too volatile. In 2017, the Huntsville Republican canceled an appearance at a town hall meeting, then showed up anyway, apparently as a way to dodge critics who didn’t show up after he had officially canceled. When he does attend town halls, he is often incendiary, including the time he infamously said, in response to undocumented immigrants, “As your congressman on the House floor, I will do anything short of shooting them.” Remarks like that may make Brooks a favorite of cable news, but they do nothing to advance the interests of the Fifth District. Peter Joffrion, Brooks’ Democratic opponent, promises to bring a more level head and a more responsive ear to the district’s congressional seat. Joffrion, a retired Huntsville attorney, is focusing his campaign on the so-called kitchen table issues that may not motivate partisans, but do matter to the vast majority of north Alabamians: education, health care and jobs. As city attorney for Huntsville, Joffrion was involved in economic development, in particular the Twickenham development of downtown Huntsville. He also supports measures that will have a trickle-down effect of helping with the state of Alabama’s strapped budget: expanding Medicare and sentencing reform. Both are federal issues that have a direct impact on two of the state government’s biggest line items: health care and prisons. More to the point, however, as a Democrat in a red district, Joffrion knows he can’t get away with avoiding his constituents and get re-elected just on the basis of party ID. The Daily recommends Peter Joffrion for the U.S. House Fifth Congressional District seat. ___ Democratic candidate Lee Auman from Union Grove has an impressive resume for someone not long out of college, but it can’t hide the fact he’s still young and lacks a lot of life experience. He may run for
Understanding the local amendments before Election Day
When you get to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 6 some counties will see local amendments on the ballot. Here’s a look at what residents of Alabama’s largest counties need to know about the amendments: Calhoun County On the ballot: PROPOSED LOCAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE (1) Relating to Calhoun County, proposing a local amendment to Amendment 508 of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, authorizing the operation of bingo games for prizes or money in the county; and to prohibit any bingo permittee or licensee from operating bingo near a residential area. (Proposed by Act 2017-81) Vote: Yes/No What it means: If passed, the amendment would ban bingo halls from operating within 3,000 feet of any residence. On the ballot: PROPOSED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO (2) Relating to Calhoun County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide that any territory in Calhoun County outside of the corporate limits of a municipality would not be subject to the police jurisdiction or planning jurisdiction of the municipality if the municipality is not located entirely in the county and to provide an exception for the City of Oxford. (Proposed by Act 2018-17) Vote: Yes/No What it means: If passed, the amendment would restrict cities that straddle the county (Southside, Glencoe, maybe Piedmont) from being able to exercise police jurisdiction within the county. Only cities that lie entirely within Calhoun County would have police jurisdiction in the county. Jefferson County On the ballot: PROPOSED LOCAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE (1) Relating only to the City of Homewood in Jefferson County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to provide that existing limits on the amount of ad valorem taxes payable on various classes of taxable property in any one year would not apply. (Proposed by Act 2018-166) Vote: Yes/No What it means: If passed, the amendment would allow Homewood, Ala. residents to vote on raising property taxes above the state lid at some point in the future. Madison County On the ballot: PROPOSED LOCAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE (1) Relating to Madison County and the areas outside the corporate limits of any municipality, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to authorize the county commission to adopt ordinances or resolutions to prohibit excess noise, to regulate, limit, and control excess noise levels, and to control public nuisance caused by excess noise levels in the unincorporated areas of Madison County and to authorize penalties not to exceed the penalties for a class C misdemeanor. (Proposed by Act 2018-167) Vote: Yes/No What it means: If passed, residents unincorporated areas, rural parts of the county would be subject to penalties if they make too much noise. Right now, they are able to be as loud as they want. Areas like Huntsville and Madison are not included in the amendment. Mobile County On the ballot: Shall Mobile County in the State of Alabama be authorized to issue from time to time and in one or more series its Pay-As-You-Go Road, Bridge and Drainage Facilities Bonds, not exceeding $60,000,000 in principal amount, for the purpose of raising funds for the construction and improvement, or either, of hard surfaced roads, hard surfaced bridges, and surface water drainage facilities, or any thereof in the county, which bonds shall bear interest at a rate or rates to be fixed when they are sold, not exceeding twelve percent (12%) per annum, payable semiannually until their respective maturities, and shall mature and become payable on December 1 in the aggregate principal amount of $6,000,000 in each of the years 2022 through 2031, and shall the said county be authorized to continue to levy annually a special tax, on all taxable property in the county, at a rate not exceeding six and one-half mills on each dollar of the assessed valuation of such property, for the purpose of paying at their respective maturities the principal of and interest on the said bonds and all other bonds at any time outstanding which may be payable out of or constitute a charge on the said special tax, all pursuant to the provisions of Amendment 18, as amended and modified, to the Constitution of Alabama? Vote: For/Against said proposed Mobile County Pay-As-You-Go Road, Bridge and Drainage Facilities bonds and the said proposed continued levy of the said special tax What it means: If passed, the amendment will allow Pay-As-You-Go work to be completed within the City of Mobile including the : Improvement of Zeigler Blvd. to allow traffic to increase to 20,000 daily moving from the rural and suburban parts of Mobile into the downtown area. Widening of McGregor Ave. and constructing a new roundabout at Dauphin St. Resurfacing Airport Blvd. from McGregor Ave. eastward to Western American Circle Resurfacing of Hillcrest Rd. from Cottage Hill Rd. northward to Grelot Rd. In the county area, projects include: Extending the widening of Zeigler Blvd. from Schillinger Rd. to Tanner Williams Rd. Widening McDonald Rd. from I-10 to Old Pascagoula Rd. Building a new road to connect McDonald Rd. at Old Pascagoula Rd. to McFarland Rd. at Three Notch-Kroner Rd. This new road will allow traffic traveling down Snow Rd. and McFarland Rd. to have direct access to I-10. Resurfacing Three Notch-Kroner Rd. from Dawes Rd. to McDonald Rd. Resurfacing Padgett Switch Rd. from Half Mile Rd. to Hwy. 90. In total 67.9 miles would be added or improved. Montgomery County On the ballot: PROPOSED LOCAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE (1) Relating to Montgomery County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to allow the members of the Montgomery County Commission to participate in the Employees’ Retirement System. (Proposed by Act 2018-388) Vote: Yes/No What it means: If passed, the amendment would allow the members of the Montgomery County Commission to participate in the Employees’ Retirement System that is part of the Retirement Systems of Alabama (RSA). Morgan County On the ballot: PROPOSED LOCAL AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE (1) Relating to Morgan County, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to propose a local
Alabama receives $3.98M Homeland Security grants for state, local first responders
Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced $3.98 million in funding from the Homeland Security Grant Program for state and local first responders to sustain and enhance protection, prevention and response capabilities to prevent terrorism and other catastrophic events. “On both the state and local levels, safety and preparedness remain of high importance year-round. I am grateful to the Department of Homeland Security for providing nearly $4 million in funds to ensure Alabamians are protected and that we are ready to respond in any situation,” Ivey said. “Alabama’s law enforcement and first responders work diligently around-the-clock to protect our state, and these funds will go a long way in helping them do that.” More than $1.8 million was awarded in Alabama to local first responders in a statewide competitive grant process in three categories: interoperable communications, physical protective measures and public warning systems. Additionally, over $900,000 was awarded to the state and local first responders in the Alabama Mutual Aid System (AMAS). AMAS consists of fire services, communication and law enforcement teams specifically trained in search and rescue operations, hazardous materials response, swift-water rescue operations and explosive ordnance disposal response. The remaining funds will be retained for state-level projects. “Governor Ivey continues to show her dedication to first responders in Alabama by working to secure these Homeland Security grants,” added Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor. “ALEA is pleased that this federal-state partnership will provide these resources to use in all hazard situations.”
Alabama to ask Supreme Court to review abortion
Alabama will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review the state’s effort to ban the most commonly used second trimester abortion procedure. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office asked the court Tuesday for an additional 30 days to file its petition for review. Alabama lawmakers in 2016 voted to ban the abortion procedure known as dilation and evacuation. A federal judge blocked the law as an unconstitutional restriction on abortion access. The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in August upheld the decision. Politicians seeking to ban the procedure refer to it by the nonmedical term “dismemberment abortion.” “The constitutionality of a state ban on dismemberment abortion is an important question of national significance. Litigation over similar abortion laws is pending in several other courts,” lawyers for Alabama wrote. Courts have blocked similar laws in Kansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson in 2016 blocked enforcement of the Alabama law, saying the ban would cause Alabama women to lose access to abortion in the state after 15 weeks of pregnancy because of the unavailability of other methods. Alabama, with support from other conservative states, appealed the decision. The 11th Circuit in August upheld Thompson’s decision, although Chief Judge Ed Carnes wrote that “dismemberment” is an accurate description for the procedure. The Center for Reproductive Rights has described dilation and evacuation as the most common abortion procedure in the U.S. in the second trimester. According to court records in the case, 93 percent of abortions in Alabama occur before 15 weeks of pregnancy. For the seven percent of abortions that occur after 15 weeks, 99 percent of them are by dilation and evacuation. Republished with permission from the Associated Press.
Pro-life Amendment Two gains additional support ahead of Election Day
With less than a week before voters head to the polls, Amendment Two continues to gain public support. Following Governor Kay Ivey’s public endorsement last week the pro-life constitutional measure picked up even more support on Wednesday with endorsements from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall, Will Ainsworth who is the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor, as well as top leadership figures within the Alabama Legislature. “One of the biggest honors I have as your Attorney General is fighting for the rights of the unborn. I have aggressively defended Alabama’s pro-life laws and fought alongside other states as they did the same,” said Marshall in a statement. “Now, you have an opportunity to join me in standing for life by voting YES on Amendment Two.” Ainsworth echoed Marshall’s support of the Amendment. “As a candidate for Lt. Governor and, hopefully, once in office, I will continue to champion the pro-life cause and fight the liberal elites who mock conservative Alabamians for our stand,” Ainsworth said. “Each and every life is a gift from God, and I support the passage of Amendment 2 on Nov.6th .” The Alabama Fair Ballot Commission explains the constitutional amendment, which was sponsored and passed by Montevallo-Republican, State Rep. Matt Fridy, with the following description: Amendment 2 provides that it would be the public policy of the state to recognize and support the importance of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, including the right to life; and to protect the rights of unborn children. Additionally, the amendment would make clear that the state constitution does not include a right to abortion or require the funding of an abortion using public funds. Legislative endorsements Leaders in both chambers of the Alabama State House have come out in support of Amendment Two. Monrovia-Republican, Speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives Mac McCutcheon: On November 6th, Alabama has the opportunity to show the nation how strong our conservative values are by adding language to our state constitution acknowledging the sanctity of unborn life. I am proud to stand behind Amendment Two and would encourage all Alabamians to vote yes on Tuesday, the 6th. Rainsville-Republican, State House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter: As Planned Parenthood and other liberal groups make their way into Alabama we are seeing our conservative values being attacked daily. It is crucial that Alabamians join together to fight for the rights of the unborn by voting yes for Statewide Amendment Two. Jasper-Republican, State Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed: Amendment Two will protect the sanctity of all life in Alabama by ensuring that our God-given rights extend to the most defenseless among us, unborn children. I urge my fellow Alabamians to stand for a culture of life by voting yes on Amendment Two on November 6th. Rainbow City-Republican, State Senator Phil Williams: Planned Parenthood has pumped nearly a million dollars of out-of-state dark money into Alabama to defeat Amendment Two. Planned Parenthood represents a culture of death, and their celebration of abortion-on-demand is sickening to see. President Trump is remaking the judiciary through the appointment of solid constitutional judges like Brett Kavanaugh, and Amendment Two will help make Alabama a haven for life as our nation returns to a respect for the U.S. Constitution and for the sanctity of all life. Amendment Two is one of four statewide amendment proposals that will be on the ballot on November 6.
Donald Trump says border troops defending southern border could hit 15K
President Donald Trump says the number of military troops deployed to the U.S.-Mexican border could reach 15,000 — roughly double the number the Pentagon said it currently plans for a mission whose dimensions are shifting daily. The Pentagon says “more than 7,000” troops were being sent to the southwest border to support the Customs and Border Protection agents. Officials said that number could reach a maximum of about 8,000 under present plans. The troop numbers have been changing at a dizzying pace, with Trump drawing a hard line on immigration in the lead-up to the midterm elections. Just last week officials were indicating that about 800 to 1,000 might be sent. On Monday, officials announced that about 5,200 were being deployed. The next day, the Air Force general running the operation said more than the initially announced total were going, and he pointedly rejected a news report that it could reach 14,000, saying that was “not consistent with what’s actually being planned.” Gen. Terrence O’Shaughnessy, the commander of U.S. Northern Command, told reporters the number would exceed the initial contingent of 5,200, but he offered no estimate of the eventual total. Just 24 hours later, Trump thrust new uncertainty into the picture, catching the Pentagon by surprise. With his eyes squarely on Tuesday’s contests, Trump has rushed a series of immigration declarations, promises and actions as he tries to mobilize supporters to retain Republican control of Congress. His own Republican campaign in 2016 concentrated on border fears, and that’s his focus in the final week of the midterm fight. “As far as the caravan is concerned, our military is out,” Trump said. “We have about 5,800. We’ll go up to anywhere between 10,000 and 15,000 military personnel on top of Border Patrol, ICE and everybody else at the border.” Later Wednesday, Trump told ABC News, “We have to have a wall of people.” His comments were the latest twist in a story that has pushed the Pentagon unhappily into the political space, prompting questions about whether Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was allowing the military to be leveraged as a political stunt. “We don’t do stunts,” Mattis said Wednesday. Trump rejected the idea he was “fearmongering” or using the issue for political purposes, but his escalating rhetoric in the waning days of the campaign season calls that denial into question. Trump has railed against illegal immigration, including several caravans of migrants from Central America slowly moving on foot toward the U.S. border. The caravan of an estimated 4,000 people is still nearly 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from the border. Several smaller groups, estimated at a combined 1,200 people, are farther away. As he seeks to stoke concerns about illegal immigration ahead of the midterm elections, Trump tweeted a video alleging Democrats were responsible for allowing a homicidal immigrant into the U.S. He provided no evidence supporting that claim. It was reminiscent of the infamous “Willie Horton” ad used against Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988 and condemned as racist. Horton, who was black, raped a woman while out of prison on a weekend furlough. As Massachusetts governor, Dukakis supported the furlough program. Dukakis went on to lose to Republican George H.W. Bush. In his Wednesday tweet, Trump highlighted the case of Luis Bracamontes, a twice-deported immigrant from Mexico sentenced to death in California for killing two police officers. The 53-second spot includes expletives uttered by Bracamontes during his trial as he professed regret at not killing more officials. “Illegal immigrant, Luis Bracamontes, killed our people!,” the video states, adding, “Democrats let him into our country…Democrats let him stay.” It includes scenes of a migrant “caravan” moving toward the U.S., warning ominously, “Who else would Democrats let in?” Trump has insisted the media is underestimating the caravans. “You have caravans coming up that look a lot larger than it’s reported actually. I’m pretty good at estimating crowd size. And I’ll tell you they look a lot bigger than people would think,” he told ABC. He has also promised to end so-called catch-and-release policies by erecting tent cities to hold those crossing illegally. And this week he is asserting he could act by executive order to unilaterally end birthright citizenship for the children of non-U.S. citizens. Trump’s comments left some in the Pentagon scratching their heads. Officials said they had no plans to deploy as many as 15,000 troops. The number conceivably could reach 10,000, counting the 2,100 National Guard soldiers who have been operating along the border for months as part of a separate but related mission. The number of active-duty troops tapped for deployment stood at 7,000 as of Wednesday but could reach 8,000. A deployment of 15,000 would bring the military commitment on the border to roughly the same level as in war-torn Afghanistan. And it would more than double the number of people thought to be in the caravans. Trump did not back down Wednesday from his proposal to upend the very concept of American citizenship. In a morning tweet, he said the right to citizenship for babies born to noncitizens on American soil “will be ended one way or the other.” He also claimed that what he terms “so-called Birthright Citizenship” is “not covered by the 14th Amendment.” However, the text of the amendment’s opening Citizenship Clause is this: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” The citizenship proposal would inevitably spark a long-shot legal battle over whether the president can alter the long-accepted understanding that the 14th Amendment grants citizenship to any child born on U.S. soil, regardless of his parents’ immigration status. House Speaker Paul Ryan asserted Tuesday that “obviously” Trump could not upend that policy by executive order, drawing a tweeted rebuke from Trump. He said Wednesday that Ryan “should be focusing on holding the Majority rather than giving his opinions on Birthright Citizenship, something he knows nothing about!” Speaking to reporters
Kay Ivey receives coveted BCA 2018 Chairman’s Award
The Business Council of Alabama (BCA) presented Gov. Kay Ivey with its 2018 Chairman’s Award for her for her steadfast support of pro-business initiatives throughout her professional and political career. The award was presented to Ivey by BCA Chairman Perry Hand, chairman of Volkert Inc. in Mobile, at the BCA’s Chairman’s Dinner , which is held each year to support the BCA’s political action committee, ProgressPAC on Tuesday night. “This is indeed a high moment for me,” Ivey said. “This is a very significant award.” Hand said since Ivey took office, more than $8 billion has been invested in Alabama, resulting in 16,000 jobs. Unemployment during her term is the lowest in state history and the number of jobs the highest. “Governor Ivey’s support of a thriving business climate has been key to landing coveted economic projects including the new Toyota-Mazda plant and its 4,000 anticipated jobs to north Alabama,” Hand said. “Governor Ivey supports a business environment which grows tech companies and she continues to be a strong recruiter of companies in the automotive, aviation, and aerospace sectors.” The BCA Chairman’s Award is given to a recipient of the BCA chairman’s choice during the closing months of his or her tenure as the volunteer leader of the statewide business advocacy organization.
Daniel Sutter: Fake news and the market for ideas
Traditional social media have been criticized recently for purveying fake news. California may form a commission to investigate stemming fake news, while Congressional hearings have implored Facebook and Twitter to act. Is the news market failing? Classical liberals back to John Milton and John Stuart Mill have stressed freedom of speech and expression as crucial in allowing citizens to control government. Free expression is vital for two reasons. The first is the value of free inquiry in discovering the truth. The second is the potential for government power to regulate expression to stifle criticism. The metaphor of a marketplace of ideas illustrates the truth-seeking argument. Just as competition supplies us with cars, clothes or soft drinks, competition will work for ideas. Let truth and falsehood compete, and truth will win out. This reasoning believes that most citizens can distinguish good from bad arguments. Yet I find the marketplace of ideas metaphor slightly off. In my research on media bias, I emphasize how our evaluations of public policies draw on our personal values and information about the world. Is the $15 per hour minimum wage recently enacted by some cities wise policy? The answer depends in part on values – whether one believes that government should try to raise poorer households’ income. And also on information – the number of $9 an hour jobs eliminated by a $15 minimum wage. News deals with the information element of policy assessment. Peoples’ values differ, but to paraphrase Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, we all face the same facts. The news media hopefully provides truthful information for readers or viewers. Information differs from ideas. Assessing the truth of information requires significant resources and not just common sense; specifically, a news organization’s reporters and editors. Ideas combine information and values. Citizens have no capacity to verify a report claiming that the $15 minimum wage eliminated 10,000 jobs. Media bias involves deliberate manipulation of information to advance political values, not inevitable reporting errors. A story might deliberately exaggerate the job losses from the $15 minimum wage to influence people’s policy evaluation. We can only identify some relevant factors about when biased reporting will advance specific values. For example, the persons we trust most can most easily mislead us. Blatant propaganda is often recognized and consequently ineffective. Information advancing an organization’s values may be discounted. And bad news is frequently denied; President Trump dismisses any report suggesting that his policies are not working perfectly as fake news. President Trump has seemingly used evidence of liberal bias to convince his supporters to dismiss all news from prestigious news organizations as fake. Convincing analyses find that liberal bias is typically nuanced and subtle, involving misleading headlines, a lack of perspective, or perhaps omissions, not outright falsification. Biased news still contains truth. Charges of liberal bias are decades old, so what has changed? The more explicit branding of outlets as liberal or conservative, I think, encourages wholesale dismissal. Hosts like Sean Hannity or Rachel Maddow with conservative or liberal views organize most cable news content. (This is not necessarily bad; contrasting takes on current events may be a good way to assess the truth.) Editorials set a newspaper’s brand, even though the rules of objectivity still apply to the news content. And conservative outlets like Fox News and the Washington Times makes liberal branding of CNN and the Washington Post more plausible. The most surprising aspect in our more partisan news market has been the lack of an outlet building an information-only brand trusted across the political spectrum. The New York Times and Washington Post may think they occupy this space, but conservatives’ dismissal demonstrates otherwise. The marketplace of ideas is a powerful metaphor, but information is not ideas. Common sense cannot substitute for a network of trained, experienced reporters. Is the market for news hopelessly broken? Fortunately, a missing product creates a profit opportunity for a clever entrepreneur. Perhaps trusted news sources are evolving right now, obscured by the noise of current events. ••• Daniel Sutter is the Charles G. Koch Professor of Economics with the Manuel H. Johnson Center for Political Economy at Troy University and host of Econversations on TrojanVision. The opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the views of Troy University.
