Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Is News & Record opinion author just a guy who lives in Greensboro?
The (Greensboro, NC) News & Record publishes an anti-health care reform opinion piece today by one Russ Cummings. Is Russ Cummings just a guy who "lives in Greensboro," as the opinion page editor simply identifies him, or is he the Sales and Special Projects Manager of a company that serves the health care industry?
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I think that's pretty slack lack of disclosure. I would expect better 'transparency' (in quotes because I'm not sure what it means anymore) from the N&R. They ask for it from others so they ought to provide it as well.
ReplyDeleteAt least it's labeled opinion.
Roch, are you implying that those who don't agree with Hagan or proposed reforms are against health care reform in general?
ReplyDelete--Brandon Burgess
Brandon,
ReplyDeleteCummings' complaints were all against elements of health care reform. But if your contention is that Cummings is in favor of health care reform but just doesn't like the way Senator Hagan participated in it, I'll concede that is possible.
So Russ Cummings' opinion does not count? It is somehow invalid because of where he works?
ReplyDeleteI don't expect such intellectual dishonesty from you, Roch.
Do better.
I think that if you are going to put words in my mouth then whine that something I did not say is intellectually dishonest, I will simply have to let that speak for itself.
ReplyDeleteNobody's whining here, Roch. I am simply asking you to be honest (since an intellectual argument with you would be pointless).
ReplyDeleteYou post about this fellow who wrote an opinion piece in the N-R which is critical of Obama's health care reform and then you do the gotcha thing. You can almost hear the evil conspiracy-type music swelling in the background..."this guy actually.....WORKS FOR A COMPANY THAT SERVES THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY!!!"
When I challenge your premise, you accuse me of whining.
Your implication was clear, and about as sublte as a brick through a glass window.
If you lack the courage to own up to it, that's your call.
You did not challenge my premise, you misstated it. It is not that the guy does not have a right to express his opinion, as YOU said I said. (I mean, come on. That from me? That hardly seems consistent with my past, oh, seven years or so of enabling and encouraging citizens' voices.)
ReplyDeleteHere is my point: Knowing the writer's profession adds insight to his perspective and the News & Record should have included it as they often do when the writer's profession is related to the subject.
Think about it. Wouldn't you want to know if the writer of a letter about health care reform worked processing Medicaide payments or for the Democratic party?
Had the News & Record included Cummings' profession, the readers could have decided for themselves what to make of it that his livelihood depends on the commercialization of health care. I think it matters, you apparently don't. No thanks to the News & Record, we can each decide for ourselves. But if you want to make the case for why it is better to withhold that information from readers, I'm all ears.