Read CREWof42 - A blog on black members of the US Congress
Hey everyone breaking news: Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas is a really bad boss. I’m so glad Jon Strong and The Daily Caller cleared up that controversy. And in only 3,188 words. I think we 4th Estaters can confirm it now because this is the third time I’ve read this type of story on her. My colleague Sam Dealey’s piece in The Hill, which ran at least ten years ago, was the first. I think the Daily Caller writer was in high school then.
You know, at some point, we journo types have to ask: Are the trifling bullshit stories we chose to waste time on during the prime of our professional lives worth it? Seriously? Is what makes money and attracts “clicks” the only point to this profession? Not that there isn’t a place from occasionally fot trifling bullshit … but when it replaces hard news to the tune of 3,000 words? Junk journalism is entertaining. But what we ignore to give attention to trivia we ignore at our peril. This got 3,000 words? The New York Times front page piece Rebels in Libya Win Battle but Fail to Loosen Qaddafi’s Grip got 1,304.
I know I’m touchy. I just got finished reading the trifling insular BS journo-junk that is the Darrell Issa-Politico story. So glad we in journalism got caught up (again) in garbage that only effects maybe 9 or 10 people. At literally the same time, billions of dollars are being decided over and that money effects millions. Aren’t there just a few weightier topics out there for us? Don’t we we have 45,000 soldiers in the field in Iraq? Aren’t we spending two billion a week on that? But let’s get the detail just right on Sheila Jackson Lee’s garlic request. It’s good if you’re reading this and have no clue of what I’m talking about. Trust me it’s not worth your time.
Rep. David Wu prior to re-election
Not sure what it is about Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee that warrants special attention. Her antics are completely crazy and inexcusable without question. But might we be witnessing literal crazy in Congress? Wasn’t Rep. David Wu in a tiger outfit right before the election? Staff had to stage an intervention before the press found out. Where’s the 3,000 words on a mentally unstable sitting member of Congress who was re-elected as those who knew said absolutely nothing? If someone can find 3,188 words on that “literal” craziness, e-mail me at lburke007@gmail.com.
Is Jackson Lee a “special” kind of crazy really? Seems like there are quite a few people to check in with on that one. How does the not so gentle lady from Texas rate three stories? Fmr Rep. Bill Thomas? Current Rep. Pete Stark anyone? No one did anything on fmr Sen. Arlen Specter and he was here for what, 30 years? How about the recently departed Rep. Jane Harman who just wasted everyone’s time getting re-elected then up and split? Rep. Michelle Bachmann has high staff turnover and Sen. Amy Klobuchar is said to be quite difficult to work for. Reporters hear bad stories about a lot of members. Sheila Jackson Lee is far from being the only one but I’ll bet anything she’s the only one a 3,000 word piece has been written on.
Worse: All those words and nothing on whether she is an effective member of Congress despite the abusiveness? Does she get anything done? If you write 3,000 words why can’t there be at least 300 on something important pertaining to the 700,000 people she represents? But with junk journalism it doesn’t matter. The only thing relevant is how many pageviews and hits the story attracted. And that is all.
Read CREWof42 - A blog on black members of the US Congress