Not On Your Side

by: Dean Barker

Wed Oct 05, 2011 at 05:39:55 AM EDT
( - promoted by William Tucker)

Sunday's Union Leader editorial was such boilerplate right-wing palaver it rightfully doesn't even merit attention, but bear with me:
We wonder why the press releases always say "Shaheen announces." Could it be that they cannot say "Shaheen secures?" Like so many other politicians of both parties, Shaheen announces deals that are already done in the hope that voters will give her credit for them. But that's really beside the point, which is that doling out tax dollars is how Sen. Shaheen expects to revive the economy. She often states in her press releases that the purpose of the grant is to bring jobs to New Hampshire.

By contrast, Sen. Kelly Ayotte has been working to help all New Hampshire businesses, not just the ones in industries she or the Obama administration likes.

A look at Shaheen's web site shows:
SHAHEEN: SKILLED MANUFACTURERS WILL KEEP U.S. ECONOMY COMPETITIVE AND BRING JOBS TO NEW HAMPSHIRE  - Albany Engineered Composites visit - Sept. 29

SHAHEEN AND AYOTTE PROMOTE EXPORTING AS A WAY TO GROW SMALL BUSINESSES AND CREATE JOBS - Shaheen/Ayotte Small Business Field Hearing - Aug. 11

SHAHEEN HOSTS INAUGURAL NEW HAMPSHIRE BUSINESS DAY IN WASHINGTON- NH Business Day- June 15

SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES HER PROPOSAL TO EXTEND CRITICAL SMALL BUSINESS DEFENSE PROGRAM INCLUDED IN SENATE ARMED SERVICES BILL - June 14

SHAHEEN: DELAY OF SMALL BUSINESS BILL IS BAD FOR NH ECONOMY, NATIONAL SECURITY - May 4

I point this out because the Union Leader has such a constant, prominent presence in the life of New Hampshire news that sometimes we can forget that they work night and day propping Republicans up*.

It's important to remember from time to time that the Union Leader is not on your side. This creates a structural imbalance in the state media that consistently makes the promotion of our values, values such as job creation for small businesses, such as Jeanne Shaheen's values, harder.

* I except from this Tom Fahey, who has done more than any other reporter in this state to cover fairly what is going on in the GOP supermajority state house and senate.
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