Trust in Media is Gone: Fair and Balanced is Gone
August 18, 2010
As published on PolitickerNJ.com.
Americans are losing confidence in newspapers and television news.
According to a recent Gallup Poll, there has been a somewhat steady decline for the past twenty years – one that has been particularly dramatic with respect to television news. Only 25 percent of Americans have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in these traditional news sources, thus putting them on par with “banks” when it comes to public trust.
This is certainly unfortunate, but not at all surprising. In fact, in light of yesterday’s revelation that Fox News’ parent company gave an unprecedented $1 million check to the Republican Governors Association, the only thing that would be surprising is if that level of confidence does not dip even further.
Objectivity has long been a hallmark of American journalism. It is not always a given. It is not always evident. Yet, a premium on impartial, balanced reporting has long been a defining characteristic and a standard by which news coverage has been measured.
Yesterday’s blatantly partisan “gift” from Fox News, however, has lowered that standard and with it, the quality of American journalism.
Granted, Fox’s media bias is not new. The case against Fox News is deep and dates back many years. From its 1996 founding under the leadership of longtime Republican operative Roger Ailes to its bevy of well-known conservative reporters to its undeniably slanted reporting, Fox News has long been suspected of being "a wing of the Republican Party".
But now we have the proof… it’s now official … Fox can stop masquerading as a legitimate news source and can finally stop pretending that it’s “Fair and Balanced.”
Further, this latest transgression crosses a line. It sets a terrible precedent, and it sets us on a potentially dangerous course. In the swipe of its pen, Fox News has literally torn down the firewall that had existed between politics and journalism – a firewall that had long placed a necessary and credible check on government power … a firewall that had been critical to maintaining the trust of the American people.
Posted by Michael Kempner at 11:02 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Promise. Practice. Good Corporate Citizenship.
August 02, 2010
At MWW Group, we take our corporate citizenship seriously. It’s what we do. It’s who we are.
For that reason, we are particularly excited, because we just released our 2nd annual Corporate Citizenship Report – a document filled with the good work being done by our firm, our employees, and our clients in the communities we serve.
The theme of this year’s report, “Promise – Practice”, speaks to our very real, very tangible commitment to integrating corporate responsibility in all that we do. It underscores our fundamental belief that the choice between sustainability strategy and business strategy is a false choice – that doing good and doing well can and should go hand-in-hand. And it embodies the pride and passion that leads us to “walk the talk” on corporate citizenship while carrying out the firm’s core business.
The report is divided into four main sections:
- Protecting Our Valuable Natural Resources
- Building Healthier Communities
- Fostering Social and Economic Opportunities
- Empowering Our Employees
Taken together, these sections illustrate that MWW Group’s philosophy of “Aim High. Deliver” applies as much to our corporate citizenship responsibilities as it does to our corporate business objectives.
Please take a moment to read through our report … and come back to us with any questions or suggestions. We value your input….
Posted by Michael Kempner at 09:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The Americans with Disabilities Act at 20
July 26, 2010
As published on politickernj.com.
Our country is observing a significant milestone this week – one that has literally transformed the lives of millions of Americans over the past twenty years.
In fact, the 1990 Americans with Disability Act (ADA) has proven to be a landmark civil rights law. It has outlawed discrimination. It has opened doors of opportunity. And it has given millions of Americans with disabilities -- and their families -- a new lease on life.
On the most basic level, the ADA is all about access – access to public places … to employment … to transportation … and to communication. It is also about justice, equality, and the right of every American to reach her / his God-given potential.
Taken together, the ADA is about a better way of life.
The impact of the law has already been widespread and meaningful. Curb cuts for those with mobility challenges. Captioning for those with hearing loss. Workplace supports for those with physical impairments. But the impact is perhaps most evident in the change in attitudes – towards people with disabilities and by people with disabilities. Increasingly, Americans – across the board – are recognizing that the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” belongs to everyone, regardless of a person’s abilities or disabilities.
But like any civil rights effort, the ADA is a work in progress. It takes time to change old behaviors. It takes resources to tear down physical barriers. And It takes patience to tear down social ones.
It also takes leadership.
Fortunately, we now have a President who “gets it” when it comes to the topic of disability and is willing to use his office to address the issue thoroughly, effectively, and honestly. In fact, in a clear departure from many of his predecessors, Barack Obama has made disability rights a key component of his presidency. He spoke often and in unprecedented fashion about it on the campaign. He created senior-level disability positions in his administration, including the first Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. He even signed an international convention designed to promote the rights of people with disabilities – a convention that his immediate predecessor refused to support.
Needless to say, the ADA is an important law. With 54 million Americans with disabilities, it is a law that affects nearly every family, every community, every neighborhood – either directly or indirectly. It is a law that spans across every race, religion, ethnicity, and sexual orientation. It is a law that impacts the lives of every age group and every socio-economic class.
In other words, the ADA is one of the most sweeping civil rights laws ever adopted and put into force, thus making its anniversary a very special, very important cause for reflection, celebration and rededication.
Posted by Michael Kempner at 04:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD – THEN AND NOW
July 13, 2010
As published on NewJerseyNewsroom.com.
Without question, Tom Robinson would be better off today.
He would be able to vote. He would have access to all public accommodations. He could win a seat in Congress, be appointed to the Supreme Court, and rise to the top of a Fortune 500 company.
He could even be President.
In fact, Tom Robinson could live a life completely unimaginable and unrecognizable to the characters in Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” – the groundbreaking book, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week. No lynchings. No all white male juries. No presumption of guilt based on skin color. No state-sanctioned discrimination.
Yet, Tom would realize a sad, but undeniable truth -- that racism is still alive and all too well in contemporary America. He would know it in the economic injustice that has left a disproportionate number of African-Americans -- 25 percent -- living in poverty. He would see it in the criminal injustice that has left a disproportionate number of African-American men - 6 times the number of white, non-Hispanic men -- living in jails and prisons. And he would feel it in the hate-filled, racist rhetoric that still defines too much of our political discourse – rhetoric that questions the Civil Rights Act, rhetoric that questions the birthplace of our President.
Granted, America is a much different place than the fictional 1930s town portrayed in the exceptional 1960 book. Laws have changed. Attitudes have evolved. And we, as a people, have surely progressed.
But race remains a central subject in the American narrative.
Indeed, almost everywhere you turn, racism – in all its ugliness – can be seen, heard, and felt. The hit Broadway play, “Race”, showcases it. Mel Gibson's recent tirade exposes it. Many Tea Party members give voice to it. And absurd race-based allegations about the health reform law ("tan tax") and the U.S. Department of Justice ( the New Black Panther Party allegations ) feed it.
Continue reading "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD – THEN AND NOW"
Posted by Michael Kempner at 02:10 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Earth Day at 40: Green is the new normal
April 20, 2010
As published in The Record.
FORTY YEARS of awareness. Forty years of action. Forty years of progress. Suffice it to say, we have a lot to celebrate this Earth Day on Thursday.
But most importantly, we are celebrating the end of a long, divisive dispute about whether we need to do something to protect the environment.
Simply stated, we no longer debate “if” we need to do something; we only debate “what” to do. And, by itself, that’s a huge win.
In fact, despite all of the acrimony over climate change legislation and global warming science, one thing is clear: Our country understands the critical need to protect the environment. That is good news for our environment, good news for our economy and good news for our national security. Consumers demand it, and the private sector has embraced it. And it’s a prime mover in creating jobs and economic opportunity and is a central theme of our foreign policy.
Granted, we may not agree on the science. We may not agree on the causes or remedies. We may not even agree on the terminology. But over the last several years, we – generally speaking — have come to agree that the environment is important and must be protected.
Continue reading "Earth Day at 40: Green is the new normal"
Posted by Michael Kempner at 10:23 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Wanted: Courage to Pass Healthcare Reform
March 19, 2010
As published on PolitickerNJ.Com
In 1935, they spoke out against Social Security. In 1965, they spoke out against Medicare. And now in 2010, they are taking a politics-first stand against health care reform.
If nothing else, the Republican Party is consistent … shamefully so.
Thanks to President Obama's determined leadership, there will likely be a historic vote on health care reform within the next few days. But thanks to the “say no to everything” Republican party, the support for that vote has been demonized … leaving a significant percentage of the American public confused at best and unnecessarily afraid at worst. Once again, the Party of “no” seems poised to be on the wrong side of history and on the wrong side of decency, fairness, and creating a better America.
Granted, the health care reform proposal is not perfect, but it is an important step in the right direction. It would ban discrimination by insurance companies of those with pre-existing conditions. It would prevent insurance companies from dropping patients’ coverage if they become sick. And, it would include many other provisions to help individuals and small businesses gain greater access to insurance coverage.
Further, the President’s reform proposal would bring down health care costs for families as well as for our overall country. In fact, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), insurance premiums for American families could fall by 14 to 20 percent, and equally important, the budget deficit would be reduced dramatically reduced … no matter what the partisan pundits would have you believe. In fact, and this is a very important point, according to the CBO, this plan would reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over the next decade and $1.3 trillion during the following decade. This – combined with greater health, greater productivity, and fewer emergency room visits – would lead to a significant boon to our economy.
Continue reading "Wanted: Courage to Pass Healthcare Reform"
Posted by Michael Kempner at 03:19 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Republican Playbook: Fear, Scorn & Partisanship
March 10, 2010
This article originally appeared on PolitickerNJ.com
Instill fear. Sow uncertainty. Create doubt. Demonize.
These tactics may be the unfortunate norm for campaigning, but they are bad – if not downright irresponsible -- for governing. Yet, since day one of the Obama Presidency, the Republican playbook has not just promoted the use of such tactics … it has glorified them as the central theme of its strategy.
The latest case in point is a recent Republican National Committee powerpoint presentation – a hate-filled document that was used at the February RNC Finance Leadership Meeting.
- One slide is entitled, “The Evil Empire” and includes caricatures of President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid.
- There is a picture entitled “socialism” that has a sinister caricature of President Obama that has been made to look like “The Joker”.
- There is an unseemly caricature of Nancy Pelosi entitled, “Cruella DeVille” – the fictional villain from “The Hundred and One Dalmatians”.
- And one slide sums up the approach to be used by the RNC by asking a cynical question … “What can you sell when you do not have the White House, the House or the Senate…? … and providing an equally cynical answer: “Save the country from trending toward socialism.”
In a word, this is outrageous.
No reference to issues. No reference to values. Just a blatant attempt to raise money through fear and scorn. After all, why stand for something, if you can just debase, vilify, and belittle the highest offices in the land?
Unfortunately, this has become par for the course for today’s Republican Party. First, there were Dick Cheney’s irresponsible claims about the President’s stewardship of U.S. national security. Then there were the unprecedented displays of disrespect during the President’s addresses to Congress – first by a Republican Congressman who yelled out during a 2009 healthcare speech and then by a conservative Supreme Court Justice who broke with decorum by visibly objecting to the President’s speech. And through it all there has been a blind partisanship practiced by Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
Taken together, these Republican tactics serve no purpose other than to further divide and harm the American people. They do nothing to make our country safer. They do nothing to improve our quality of life. They do nothing to make our country a better place.
This is particularly troubling in light of the many challenges that we – as a nation – are currently facing. People are scared. People are hurting. People are struggling. Yet, the national Republican response has been to breed fear, blame others, and effectively ignore the pain. For some, the 2008 campaign never ended. For some, the campaign is all that seems to matter.
Needless to say, this is no way to run a country.
Disagree with the President. Debate the President. But for all of our sakes, Republicans must start to work with the President.
And as for the media, they must start to report objectively about the Republican’s cynical game. No more blaming both parties for gridlock. No more playing both sides against each other. When the Republican leadership refers to healthcare reform as the President’s “waterloo” or uses demeaning caricatures of the President to raise money, the media must call it what it is – partisan politics at its absolute worse.
In the end, it is impossible to have “unilateral bipartisanship”. President Obama and the Democratic Leadership have continually reached out across the aisle, only to be met by a monolithic Republican opposition that refuses to find common ground and refuses to act in the common good – an opposition that would rather play politics, than do the people’s business.
This is wrong. This is disgraceful. And it urgently speaks to the need for a new Republican playbook.
Posted by Michael Kempner at 04:36 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
