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EPA caves, admits the AP was right all along

Phys251

Phys251

Purge evil with Justice
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The press is biased, they never get it right, and when the EPA in the Trump era says that the press is wrong to claim that toxic waste has been released, the EPA is in the right. Right?

Hurricane Harvey: EPA Finds Damage to Sites After Slamming AP Reporter for Toxic Waste Story

After criticizing an AP report, EPA finds damage and leak at a toxic waste site caused by Hurricane Harvey

The Environmental Protection Agency, which slammed an Associated Press (AP) reporter's story on flooded Houston-area Superfund toxic waste sites as "yellow journalism" after Hurricane Harvey, now admits the dangerous spills occurred.

On Thursday, the EPA said it found damage and toxic material exposed at the San Jacinto River Waste Pits site, one of seven Superfund locations AP writer Michael Biesecker revealed was covered by floodwaters, in a report the agency had derided.

Samples showed dioxins at 70,000 nanograms per kilogram – more than 2,333 times the level that calls for a cleanup, according to the EPA.
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To recap:

1) An AP reporter, after some investigative journalism, says that toxic waste spilled out of Superfund sites in metro Houston.
2) The EPA vehemently denies the report and calls it "yellow journalism."
3) Time passes.
4) The EPA recants and admits that a toxic waste spill has taken place.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need a free press. Well done.
 
Phys251 said:
The press is biased, they never get it right, and when the EPA in the Trump era says that the press is wrong to claim that toxic waste has been released, the EPA is in the right. Right?

Hurricane Harvey: EPA Finds Damage to Sites After Slamming AP Reporter for Toxic Waste Story



To recap:

1) An AP reporter, after some investigative journalism, says that toxic waste spilled out of Superfund sites in metro Houston.
2) The EPA vehemently denies the report and calls it "yellow journalism."
3) Time passes.
4) The EPA recants and admits that a toxic waste spill has taken place.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need a free press. Well done.
Click to expand...

I agree 100% with everything you said there. What we don't need however is a press that does everything it can to push a social or political agenda. A person should not have to go to multiple sources just to ferret out all the facts of a situation. Ferreting out all the facts is LITERALLY the presses job.
 
Kal'Stang said:
I agree 100% with everything you said there. What we don't need however is a press that does everything it can to push a social or political agenda. A person should not have to go to multiple sources just to ferret out all the facts of a situation. Ferreting out all the facts is LITERALLY the presses job.
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Some would say that by uncovering proof of a toxic spill that the EPA wanted to cover up, the AP was pushing a "political agenda."
 
Phys251 said:
Some would say that by uncovering proof of a toxic spill that the EPA wanted to cover up, the AP was pushing a "political agenda."
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If all the AP did was report on the spill and the EPA's response then that has nothing to do with any sort of political agenda. Those that would say otherwise are just reading into it and that is their problem. But when we hear personal commentary like, for example (there are so many its pathetic), so many in the Press did by laughing at even the thought of Trump running for POTUS, much less winning, that is nothing more than an attempt to push a narrative and nothing to do with pushing facts. Maybe if they had given more thought into what they were saying and doing we wouldn't have a Trump Presidency right now.
 
Phys251 said:
The press is biased, they never get it right, and when the EPA in the Trump era says that the press is wrong to claim that toxic waste has been released, the EPA is in the right. Right?

Hurricane Harvey: EPA Finds Damage to Sites After Slamming AP Reporter for Toxic Waste Story



To recap:

1) An AP reporter, after some investigative journalism, says that toxic waste spilled out of Superfund sites in metro Houston.
2) The EPA vehemently denies the report and calls it "yellow journalism."
3) Time passes.
4) The EPA recants and admits that a toxic waste spill has taken place.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need a free press. Well done.
Click to expand...

It is certainly a good example of why we need free press.
 
Kal'Stang said:
I agree 100% with everything you said there. What we don't need however is a press that does everything it can to push a social or political agenda. A person should not have to go to multiple sources just to ferret out all the facts of a situation. Ferreting out all the facts is LITERALLY the presses job.
Click to expand...

Not a perfect world. Oh that it was.....
 
Kal'Stang said:
If all the AP did was report on the spill and the EPA's response then that has nothing to do with any sort of political agenda. Those that would say otherwise are just reading into it and that is their problem. But when we hear personal commentary like, for example (there are so many its pathetic), so many in the Press did by laughing at even the thought of Trump running for POTUS, much less winning, that is nothing more than an attempt to push a narrative and nothing to do with pushing facts. Maybe if they had given more thought into what they were saying and doing we wouldn't have a Trump Presidency right now.
Click to expand...



How many thought that when Donald Trump moved down the escalator, this is where we would be two years later?
 
Phys251 said:
Some would say that by uncovering proof of a toxic spill that the EPA wanted to cover up, the AP was pushing a "political agenda."
Click to expand...

The only way I would consider such reporting of a government cover up to be a "political agenda" is if it was said to be unique to this (or any parity's) administration. I do not consider government incompetence or attempts to hide it to be a "political agenda" but rather what happens when government is not accountable to anyone but government. The government's proposed solution to almost any alleged deficiency or failure of its many departments, programs and services is more government power and/or funding.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
The only way I would consider such reporting of a government cover up to be a "political agenda" is if it was said to be unique to this (or any parity's) administration. I do not consider government incompetence or attempts to hide it to be a "political agenda" but rather what happens when government is not accountable to anyone but government. The government's proposed solution to almost any alleged deficiency or failure of its many departments, programs and services is more government power and/or funding.
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If this happened while Obama was Prez by now there would be 8 threads accusing him, and him alone for orchestrating this cover-up. And Fox would lead with that everyday for 2 weeks.

When it comes to media bias people see what they want to see. And the media knows it. Fox's viewers wanted to blame Obama for everything bad and nefarious. Fox fed that to them.
 
SenorXm/Sirius said:
If this happened while Obama was Prez by now there would be 8 threads accusing him, and him alone for orchestrating this cover-up. And Fox would lead with that everyday for 2 weeks.

When it comes to media bias people see what they want to see. And the media knows it. Fox's viewers wanted to blame Obama for everything bad and nefarious. Fox fed that to them.
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Hmm... are you this upset about the current tone of MSM reporting regarding the Puerto Rico storm damage response or only that which might have been done by a single cable news outlet when Obama was in office?
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Hmm... are you this upset about the current tone of MSM reporting regarding the Puerto Rico storm damage response or only that which might have been done by a single cable news outlet when Obama was in office?
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Single outlet?

Imagine if Obama hired Dan Rather as an adviser like Trump hired Steve Bannon?

Hmmmmm indeed.

Anyway like I said. People see what they want to see.
 
Phys251 said:
The press is biased, they never get it right, and when the EPA in the Trump era says that the press is wrong to claim that toxic waste has been released, the EPA is in the right. Right?

Hurricane Harvey: EPA Finds Damage to Sites After Slamming AP Reporter for Toxic Waste Story


To recap:

1) An AP reporter, after some investigative journalism, says that toxic waste spilled out of Superfund sites in metro Houston.
2) The EPA vehemently denies the report and calls it "yellow journalism."
3) Time passes.
4) The EPA recants and admits that a toxic waste spill has taken place.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need a free press. Well done.
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty much like business as usual for the government.
 
Kal'Stang said:
I agree 100% with everything you said there. What we don't need however is a press that does everything it can to push a social or political agenda. A person should not have to go to multiple sources just to ferret out all the facts of a situation. Ferreting out all the facts is LITERALLY the presses job.
Click to expand...

I agree with you, but what if the agenda pursued by the press is justice or constitutional governance?
 
Did anyone claim that this is an example of media bias? If not, this is in the wrong sub forum.
 
Phys251 said:
The press is biased, they never get it right, and when the EPA in the Trump era says that the press is wrong to claim that toxic waste has been released, the EPA is in the right. Right?

Hurricane Harvey: EPA Finds Damage to Sites After Slamming AP Reporter for Toxic Waste Story



To recap:

1) An AP reporter, after some investigative journalism, says that toxic waste spilled out of Superfund sites in metro Houston.
2) The EPA vehemently denies the report and calls it "yellow journalism."
3) Time passes.
4) The EPA recants and admits that a toxic waste spill has taken place.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need a free press. Well done.
Click to expand...

I remember the EPA commenting on that a week or so ago. It reeked of the "Fake News," insults that the President likes to throw out. So thanks for the follow-up!
 
Kal'Stang said:
Doesn't matter. The People should pursue that. Press should just report the facts.
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Hmm, doesn't matter? Does it matter if the agenda being advanced by the press is one of deception and inaccurate propaganda?

I'm all for reporting the facts, but is a journalist allowed to have a conscience?
 
Thoreau72 said:
Hmm, doesn't matter? Does it matter if the agenda being advanced by the press is one of deception and inaccurate propaganda?

I'm all for reporting the facts, but is a journalist allowed to have a conscience?
Click to expand...

On his/her own time sure. :shrug: While working however they should only report the facts. Facts by themselves are apolitical.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
Hmm... are you this upset about the current tone of MSM reporting regarding the Puerto Rico storm damage response or only that which might have been done by a single cable news outlet when Obama was in office?
Click to expand...

Two points here: First, Puerto Rico reports will be here and gone, after a few days. However, as stated, if the tables were turned, FOX would harp on this for several weeks, and then bring it up again later, over and over. Remember the Birther Lie! Secondly, you mention poor Donald being mistreated by the Press over Puerto Rico. Donald tweeted again. Another divisive tweet, against a small-time mayor of San Juan. Wouldn't a simple statement, like "Our point of contact is the Governor of Puerto Rico" have sufficed. My point is that Trump fuels these media frenzies.
 
Media_Truth said:
Two points here: 1) First, Puerto Rico reports will be here and gone, after a few days. However, as stated, if the tables were turned, FOX would harp on this for several weeks, and then bring it up again later, over and over. Remember the Birther Lie! Secondly, you mention poor Donald being mistreated by the Press over Puerto Rico. Donald tweeted again. 2) Another divisive tweet, against a small-time mayor of San Juan. Wouldn't a simple statement, like "Our point of contact is the Governor of Puerto Rico" have sufficed. My point is that Trump fuels these media frenzies.
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1) Really? Have Katrina reports, comparisons and references to them come and gone?

2) I seem to recall the current POTUS saying that "police acted stupidly" and similar cries that it fanned the flames of media frenzies and that he was not fit be president because of it. This is the nature of partisanship.
 
ttwtt78640 said:
1) Really? Have Katrina reports, comparisons and references to them come and gone?

2) I seem to recall the current POTUS saying that "police acted stupidly" and similar cries that it fanned the flames of media frenzies and that he was not fit be president because of it. This is the nature of partisanship.
Click to expand...

Katrina is largely referenced as a historical event, not political posturing. On item 2, I don't know what you're ven talking about.
 
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