Aizle wrote:
Khross wrote:
Aizle:
Except, it isn't reform. It's restructuring. Improvement is very much implicated in reform. Something must be made "better" for the actions to be "reform". And, currently, the "better" of the healthcare debate and situation is entirely subjective. Will still be reform if the plan performs as the CBO suggests?
I understand what you're saying. But you, like Stossel are arguing semantics rather than the actual issue.
Except that the meanings of words matter, even if you don't believe they do.
Aizle"Further, if you believe that calling it reform is assumptive, making a stink about the language is performing the same assumption that Stossel's claiming but in the opposite direction claiming it isn't "reform" and worse.[/quote]
So, if Stossel or Khross (and presumably me or others) takes umbrage with the language being bandied about and attempts to use more accurate language, that is both identical to the original issue and more objectionable?
That doesn't make sense. If you were, say, a mayor of a large city who was promoting reform in city dealings and cronyism, that conveys a positive image. If I point out that your "reform" involves only replacement of former bureaucrats with new ones and should thus be called "overhaul" instead, how is that inaccurate or biased? If I were to say that the "reform" was basically "retaliation" or the like, that would be biased the other way.
See, words have meanings. They matter and should be used appropriately. When they aren't, people should expect them to be corrected.
[quote="Aizle wrote:
Those are value judgements, which is NOT what I want to hear coming from a journalist.
Except that every time you ever listen to, watch, or read a journalist, you're getting value judgements, whether you realize it or not. This is always true and cannot be overcome. Therefore, acknowledging it before the viewer/listener/reader so that they are aware of it is critical.
Aizle wrote:
Because those actually working on the issue (senators and representatives) are all refering to it as healthcare reform, the news media repeating that is NOT adding value judgements to it.
Correct, they're not
adding value judgements, they're just repeating the judgement applied by the politicians without questioning the underlying language/presumptions. As such, they're failing their responsibility as the 4th Estate.