Monday, June 29, 2009

The Omaha World-Herald's Coverage of Rep. Lee Terry

In today's Omaha World-Herald, an interesting article regarding the US Representative of Nebraska, Lee Terry, a Republican, appeared on the front page of the Midlands section.  The World-Herald has long been known to cover meaningless stories, but today's article may have topped them all.  The article explained how Terry, after a particularly frustrating and intense week of work on the Hill, dropped the F bomb on a cab driver who thought Terry was jay-walking.  The World-Herald, in their infinite wisdom, decided to run this story on the front page, ignoring that Terry, and the rest of the Nebraska Congressional delegation, recently voted against the Markey-Waxman American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009.  This bill, which aims to reduce our dependence on non-renewable resources, take positive steps towards reducing global warming, and address our energy needs, passed the House by 219 votes to 212.  Establishing a carbon credits system, known as cap and trade, that allows large companies to trade their carbon emissions is a major part of this bill and a major reason why Terry and Nebraska's other two Representatives, Adrian Smith and Jeff Fortenberry, voted against the bill.  They believe that creating this type of system will push costs of energy onto consumers, raising prices and hurting working people.  These may be legitimate concerns, and this issue must be debated.  However, the World-Herald chose to run a story about Lee Terry cussing at a cab driver.  What kind of journalism is that?

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