Sandinista Bill de Blasio
smartertimes.com

Nice to see the Times taking a skeptical look at Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio's early career as an activist supporter of the Marxist Sandinista government in Nicaragua. This is a bit of a "now they tell us" — it would have been nice if Democratic primary voters had this information before they nominated Mr. de Blasio — but at least it comes before the general election. As recently as 1990 Mr. de Blasio was stating that his goal was democratic socialism.

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Clergy for Higher Taxes
smartertimes.com

A Times article headlined "De Blasio and Dolan Announce a Push for More Pre-K Classes" waits until the tenth paragraph to deliver the news that in the fight between Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio over whether to raise taxes on the "rich" to pay for the pre-K classes, Cardinal Dolan is neutral. (Governor Cuomo opposes an additional tax increase, while Mayor de Blasio is insisting on it.)

The Times article concludes: "Later on Thursday, an advocacy group leading the mayor's prekindergarten campaign released a letter of support for his plan signed by 250 religious leaders. Cardinal Dolan's name was not on the list."

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Bloomberg's Principles
futureofcapitalism.com

Mayor Bloomberg has been doing a fine job of defending Walmart's right to open a store in New York City, but a New York Times news article overstates it some when it refers to Mr. Bloomberg as "a longtime defender of free-market principles." Was he defending free-market principles when he backed the use of eminent domain to seize private property for subsidized housing and a basketball arena at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn? When he banned trans-fats in restaurants? When he banned smoking in bars and restaurants? When he backed a ban on campaign contributions from limited liability partnerships and limited liability companies but not labor unions? When he backed an extension of $1 billion a year in sales taxes that were set to expire?

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The New York Times on Joel Klein
futureofcapitalism.com

Four days after the post here noting the quick rise of Joel Klein within News Corp., the New York Times waddles in with a big front-page Sunday piece on the same topic. From the article:

Some in Mr. Klein's social circle were startled by his decision to join the News Corporation's right-leaning news empire.

"What? You're going to work for Rupert Murdoch?" David Gergen, a former adviser for Bill Clinton, recalled asking his friend.

Mr. Klein was a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, though he had taken a more conservative tack on education. He rarely took vacations, but when he did he went to the Dominican Republic, where the fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, a friend, held parties that became a retreat for Democrats, including the Clintons.

Read More...

Clergy for Higher Taxes
smartertimes.com

A Times article headlined "De Blasio and Dolan Announce a Push for More Pre-K Classes" waits until the tenth paragraph to deliver the news that in the fight between Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio over whether to raise taxes on the "rich" to pay for the pre-K classes, Cardinal Dolan is neutral. (Governor Cuomo opposes an additional tax increase, while Mayor de Blasio is insisting on it.)

The Times article concludes: "Later on Thursday, an advocacy group leading the mayor's prekindergarten campaign released a letter of support for his plan signed by 250 religious leaders. Cardinal Dolan's name was not on the list."

Read More...

Sandinista Bill de Blasio
smartertimes.com

Nice to see the Times taking a skeptical look at Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio's early career as an activist supporter of the Marxist Sandinista government in Nicaragua. This is a bit of a "now they tell us" — it would have been nice if Democratic primary voters had this information before they nominated Mr. de Blasio — but at least it comes before the general election. As recently as 1990 Mr. de Blasio was stating that his goal was democratic socialism.

Read More...

Bloomberg's Principles
futureofcapitalism.com

Mayor Bloomberg has been doing a fine job of defending Walmart's right to open a store in New York City, but a New York Times news article overstates it some when it refers to Mr. Bloomberg as "a longtime defender of free-market principles." Was he defending free-market principles when he backed the use of eminent domain to seize private property for subsidized housing and a basketball arena at Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn? When he banned trans-fats in restaurants? When he banned smoking in bars and restaurants? When he backed a ban on campaign contributions from limited liability partnerships and limited liability companies but not labor unions? When he backed an extension of $1 billion a year in sales taxes that were set to expire?

Read More...

The New York Times on Joel Klein
futureofcapitalism.com

Four days after the post here noting the quick rise of Joel Klein within News Corp., the New York Times waddles in with a big front-page Sunday piece on the same topic. From the article:

Some in Mr. Klein's social circle were startled by his decision to join the News Corporation's right-leaning news empire.

"What? You're going to work for Rupert Murdoch?" David Gergen, a former adviser for Bill Clinton, recalled asking his friend.

Mr. Klein was a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, though he had taken a more conservative tack on education. He rarely took vacations, but when he did he went to the Dominican Republic, where the fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, a friend, held parties that became a retreat for Democrats, including the Clintons.

Read More...