Buffet denies he wants to scrap Obamacare

Republicans and Tea Party members take his comments out of context. Nothing unsual there when the end justifies the means. Just lie and keep on lying.

Warren Buffett on Obamacare
A three year old interview was taken out of context by a blogger. Now Republicans are running with it. It doesn't matter how many times Buffet denies he called for scrapping the Affordable Care Act. Certain politicians are bent on misinformation.

A week ago, billionaire investor Warren Buffett denied he wants to “scrap” Obamacare, calling such reports “totally false.” But that has done little to stop some Republicans from spreading the rumor.
A day after Buffett’s denial, Rep. Jim Jordan said, “All the momentum is in our direction. Warren Buffett said yesterday, ‘Scrap the bill.’”

There's more at Factcheck.org. The article takes us back to the origins of this lie. The interview was on CNBC in March, 2010.

In the CNBC interview, Buffett talked about the high cost of health care in the United States — which he correctly said consumes about 17 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. He compared health care costs to “a tapeworm eating, you know, at our economic body.” He then said the Senate bill would do little to address the cost of health care.

“Unfortunately, we came up with a bill that really doesn’t attack the cost situation that much. And we have to have a fundamental change,” Buffett said.
The host, Becky Quick, asked Buffett if he was “in favor of scrapping this and going back to start over.” He said: “I would be if I were President Obama.” But he also said that he wasn’t changing his mind on the bill and he preferred it to the status quo.

So, what are the ethical standards of politicians who fail to check sources? What about when they know something to be untrue and they continue telling the lie? Is the standard among partisans that you can say or do anything as long as you win? Has this become the ethical standard for our society? country?

Saving Print Journalism

Two articles published by the Poynter Institute highlight aspects of efforts to save print journalism.
In signing a petition to save the The Times Picayune Garrison Keillor said, "A city without a daily paper is an office park with some malls." The owners of the Times Picayune laid-off  half the newsroom. In the second half of this year it will be published three days a week.

Newspapers are struggling mightily to survive against the Web, Social Media and mobile media as news sources. Warren Buffett bought 63 papers from Media General a few weeks ago. He has bought more since then. Buffett now owns 88. One of the papers he owns through Berkshire Hathaway, The Buffalo News, will erect a paywall for its on-line edition. 

There is speculation that Buffett would buy The Times-Picayune. Buffett acknowledged that he is following the situation in New Orleans but, he's not sure the current owners want to sell.