BCT Editorial – 9/27/09

This page was last updated on September 27, 2009.

Ginning up controversy; Editorial; Beaver County Times; September 27, 2009.

It won’t come as a surprise to learn the editorial failed to mention a few points.

First, concern over President Obama’s employment of czars is not limited to Republicans. Months ago Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) expressed a need for more oversight.

Second, as recently as early the week of September 20^th, Senate Democrats appeared to support a spending bill amendment that would have increased oversight of czars.

Third, the same Democrats who supported the amendment earlier in the week unanimously defeated it after they got a call from the White House.

You may recall the Times published at least seven editorials since 2005 claiming “congressional Republicans” were “lap dogs” for the Bush administration and weren’t fulfilling their oversight duties. Despite current actions clearly being in conflict with positions it took during the Bush administration, we read no such concerns from the Times regarding congressional Democrats being “lap dogs.” This should not be a surprise. Since Mr. Obama’s election, Times editorials have been consistently switching from positions taken during the Bush administration. My critique of “Tough sell” provides links to two other flip-flops.

The editorial says, “But these sudden-found scruples are nothing new from the right. Where were they when the Bush administration almost doubled the national debt? Where were they when the Bush Justice Department trampled the Constitution in the name of national security? Where were they when the Bush White House lied our nation into invading and occupying Iraq? They were conveniently silent, loudly cheerleading or vociferously attacking anyone who questioned the Bush administration’s policies and motives.” This segment is nothing but a rant and doesn’t even attempt to support the claims. Note the claim of “vociferously attacking anyone who questioned the Bush administration’s policies and motives.” This is the same outlet that routinely engages in name-calling, including charges of racism (here and here) when things don’t go Mr. Obama’s way or engages in silence when others make the claim. Does the Times outsource some of its editorial writing to Beaver County Blue?

Finally, the editorial asserts Mr. “Obama’s critics have set a new standard for double standards.” I believe the Times sells itself short.