Corporate Media Shows Pro-Bush Bias in Labeling Democrats

When conservative Democratic hawk, John Murtha, called for moving US troops out of Iraq at the first practical opportunity (provided certain measures insuring stabilizing the Middle East are met) the Corporate Mainstream Media began to refer to him either as a pro-military Democrat (insinuating that the rest of the Democrats are anti-military) or as a “usually pro-military” Democrat insinuating that suggesting that US troops should leave Iraq and stop being targets for increasingly angry Iraqis is anti-military. This article points out that over the last five years Republicans have consistently voted to cut veterans benefits, voted against increasing benefits for service members killed in service, 184 Democrats in the House voted* to compensate for a $1 billion shortfall in spending for veterans caused by the federal deficit -- but many of whom also voted against the Iraq war resolution -- "anti-military"? What about those 216 Republicans who voted against increasing veterans' benefits, the vast majority of whom voted for the war resolution? Are they pro or anti-military? And what about the 44 Senate Democrats who voted for Sen. John F. Kerry's (D-MA) amendment increasing death benefits to military families -- many of whom also voted against the Iraq war resolution? And the 25 Republicans who voted against the Kerry amendment?

As recently as June, the Washington Post reported that the Senate Republican majority had repeatedly rejected amendments put forth by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) that would have increased spending for veterans. Pro- or anti-military Republicans?

In 2004 Republican Rep. Christopher H. Smith (NJ), then-chairman of a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee, called for such increases; his own party summarily removed him as chairman two years shy of the end of his term. A Media Matters for America search has found no instances of the Washington Post or other members of the Corporate Mainstream Media reporting that "anti-veteran" Republicans ousted their own Veterans Affairs chairman.

Clearly the Lapdog Media is misrepresenting the pro verses anti-military nature of our elected officials. Liberal Media? MY ASS!