Under the headline "Bipartisanship Didn't Last Long For Obama," CNN.com purports to answer this question: "What's the reason for the partisan divide?"
Then, without any journalistic skepticism, CNN answers that question by suggesting that Republicans can't be blamed for trying to stonewall economic legislation. Their party is simply standing up for "genuine philosophical differences." CNN's journalistic approach to this story is to perpetuate the fallacy that all political views on an issue are equally valid. (Would a news piece leave unchallenged someone's contention that genital mutilation is GOOD for women? No way.)
If only there were a THIRD group of largely non-partisan experts to turn to for an opinion about the validity of heavy government spending during a severe recession. Like, say, a group of ECONOMISTS?
If a majority of reputable economists tend to agree more with the Democrats' spending strategy (and they do) that would be evidence the Republican party is on the wrong side of professional opinion -- again. It would also suggest there might be more than mere philosophical differences motivating them. CNN's story should at least consider the possibility that Republicans know what needs to be done, and are perfectly happy to let the Democrats carry the water on this one while they stand safely off to the side hurling invectives.
Contact CNN and ask them, firmly but politely, to note that economists largely favor the Democratic philosophy on this issue.
Pushback matters. Remember how conservatives got the mainstream media to buy into their whining about "liberal bias"? Holding on to our recent gains with swing voters is going to take work. That includes holding news organizations like CNN accountable for their reporting.