The switch of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE editorial slant from moderate Republican to moderate-to-liberal Democrat is finally becoming blatant and public. Today the U-T announced their “Community Editorial Board” made up of what they deem to be a cross-section of local leaders that will help guide the paper’s editorial page and indeed opine periodically. Oh my!
http://tinyurl.com/3mp8tq8
Read the U-T write-up on this bunch
http://www.signonsandiego.​com/news/2011/jul/24/voices-new-era-meet-community-e​ditorial-board/
and then ask yourself this question — how did they vote on San Diego’s Prop D, the benchmark 2010 city sales tax increase? Probably 80+% voted for it, compared to 62% of the REAL SD community who voted against it.
The new, underfunded, downtown library? Probably 90% of this board support it, while a strong majority of city residents oppose it — which is why the city council refused to let the citizenry vote on this modern day pyramid (as was once promised by then-Mayor Golding).
A look at the selectees details a cabal of government sycophants who have spent their lives directly on the government payroll and/or seeking government money for their “nonprofits,” or for their causes. I could not find a true private sector employer/entrepreneur, nor any fiscal conservatives of note.
I think it’s fair to say that NOT one of these “community board” members thinks the government should be smaller — or should even plateau at its present bloated size. Indeed, essentially ALL of them favor BIGGER government, higher taxes and more nannyism.
Think this board is made up of “moderates”? Not really.
The first editorial “for the children” is by board member Ernie McCray, a lifetime hard left advocate. He is credited by the U-T editors with initiating this “community” board. The board was picked by the U-T privately, but it’s likely that McCray had a hand in the selection — or at least providing criteria guidance.
Here’s the irony. At one time, many limited government advocates such as myself were appalled at the liberal bias in the U-T reporting, but took some solace in the more taxpayer-friendly viewpoint found on the editorial page.
Now it’s exactly the opposite. The editorial page (and especially the “Dialog” section) has pretty much gone over to the dark side — while the still-liberal reporters are now practicing REAL journalism with their generally excellent “Watchdog” work.
If I had to summarize the evolving U-T editorial policy, it’s “Can’t we all just get along?” Perhaps the current (and temporary) owners figure it’s best not to offend anyone while quietly shifting the editorials to the left, and that will somehow increase readership. Pathetic — and ultimately self-defeating.
No, I will not (yet) unsubscribe. The VOICE OF SAN DIEGO notwithstanding, the U-T is the best source for local news. And I like “paper” papers, even though I live and breathe online. That’s why I subscribe to the WALL ST JOURNAL as a delivered paper.
But as we old farts die off (or move away, or lose our eyesight, or minds), the print U-T will be of less and less interest to the younger set. Perhaps that’s what is meant to be.
BTW, if you want good local San Diego County editorial content, the NORTH COUNTY TIMES offers a more limited government editorial approach. They may also eventually slip beneath the electronic waves, but for now they offer both superior editorials and a more diverse set of op-eds and letters to the editor.