Defenders of the media try to debunk bias claims by showing that Republican and Democratic candidates are treated roughly equally. I won't concede that point, but it's a side issue.
The most insidious media bias is in the way they portray issues, not candidates. By distorting the facts, they manipulate public opinion.
Ankle Biting Pundits catches the New York Times in a typical example of this type of bias. The Times has a graphic that makes the tiresome case that the rich get a disproportionate amount of the benefit.
Why do high income earners benefit if income taxes are cut? Because high income earners pay all the income taxes! Well, DUH! Will the next New York Times analysis show us that if cigarette taxes are cut, smokers will benefit disproportionately?
ABP also points to this great IRS data that show how the rich are carrying our sorry asses. The top 5% pay 53% of all income tax as of 2001, up from 43% in 1991. Why don't we see graphs of this in the New York times?
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