Trapped amongst the many headlines the past week, the media’s treatment of Toyota's massive recall is surely one of the worst examples of tumbling journalistic standards.
With much of the media, purely a guise for varying political opinions and rarely eschewing to classic journalistic standards, the lack of investigation in this situation is deeply troubling. Not only is the US Department of Transportation's treatment of the situation, highly suspect and nothing short of protecting its investment in General Motors and Chrysler, much of the media has been mute of the very questionable proceedings.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's comment that Toyota owners should "stop driving", despite his later sterilized clarification is nothing short of a shot across the bow that could be the first step in all-out protectionist assault. Yet, where are the journalists that ask questions in the search of the truth? The answer is simply they either do not exist or do not want to be seen questioning the motives behind such an obvious assault.
This is possibly ground zero in a wave of protectionist policies, where the government, now with a major investment in General Motors and Chrysler, profits from bullying its competition, yet the media is absent. Such protectionist policies would derail economic recovery and growth but also and possibly more notably, rip the competitive fabric that is a cornerstone of the United States.
As the storm gathers of a "bailout" for the media, remember that should this occur, honest, factual journalism could become extinct. Based upon this event, it does not have far to go.
About Me
- jd
- I'm just a fair haired boy who wears a mask with graying temples...a boy who dreams perfect little dreams of "another time", wondering where it all went. In those days of youth I traveled east till I was on the west coast and now, with the road in my heart, I write books in soft lead pencil on paper waiting for "another time" to come around once again.
