Tuesday, December 04, 2012

Count the problems with this article?

From what I've heard, there are many in the main stream press that feel like USAToday is not exactly a bastion of journalistic professionalism. Articles like this surely won't help.

Here's the things I noted:

1) The headline says 4.6T but the numbers listed are $800B, $900B, $300B and $200B. That's less than half of the supposed total.
2) Medicare is stated to be scaled back by increasing the eligibility age. Is this short term or long term? Medicare's problems are imminent so scaling it back for people like me is probably the right thing to do but it doesn't actually address the "fiscal cliff" nor the current deficit. If it's near term, well, i suspect raising the age for people ABOUT to hit it is a non-starter and politically stupid.
3) Saying that the proposal is "short on specifics" doesn't tell me much and sounds unnecessarily judgemental. Perhaps saying something like, "The proposal calls for $800B in new revenue from the elimination of deductions / loopholes. Specific deductions were not mentioned."
4) Does this proposal address the AMT?
5) Does this proposal address the Social Security payroll tax holiday?
6) Are there any defense cuts? Do they play games like counting the wind down of the war as "cuts"?

This article is really "fluffy" and could use some help. USAToday... you can do better.

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