From failures covering the war in Iraq and the economy, to poisoning media debate with smears, to the outright chicanery of the NRA and Rush Limbaugh, we’re looking this week at the conservative echo chamber’s effects on journalism and how it’s failing America.
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John Whitehouse Twitter: @existentialfish

Where Are The Iraq Boosters Today?

On the 10-year anniversary of the Iraq War, we look back at some of the most prominent war advocates in the media. Instead of facing consequences for their poor analysis, these media figures continue to hold positions of influence. http://mm4a.org/ZsbM5n

What Is Roger Ailes Afraid Of?

Fox News President Roger Ailes has a new biography out, entitle Off Camera, and author Zev Chafets has become a tool of the Fox PR machine as he conflates Ailes’ seemingly laudable personal qualities with his poor professional conduct. David Brock and Ari Rabin-Havt explore how this book is a microcosm of all the biggest problems with Fox News. http://mm4a.org/14cIi08

Fox Ignores Its Smear Campaign Falling Apart

Fox News was happy to run with the Daily Caller‘s smear campaign against Robert Menendez when it first broke. But as the story has collapsed, Fox has failed to correct the record. This is journalism Fox News style – cover the smear campaign pushed by a discredited outlet, ignore it when the story falls apart. http://mm4a.org/XZw4q5

Rush Limbaugh Vs. Republican Rebranding

On the same day the Republican Party announced that it wanted to reach out to minorities, Limbaugh compared Hispanic Labor nominee Thomas Perez to a KKK member. Simon Maloy explores the limits of Republican rebranding with Rush Limbaugh still around: http://mm4a.org/WzlwL2

Green Jobs Are Growing

Fox News and right-wing media have spent years attacking green jobs. But a new report shows that private sector green jobs are on the rise – from manufacturing to construction and other sectors of the economy.. Jill Fitzsimmons breaks down the job growth: http://mm4a.org/YXO7Ka

FEATURED VIDEO

For once, politicians agree that there is no immediate debt crisis. Someone needs to tell the media, who continue to push that message, when they should be talking about jobs. http://mm4a.org/10i4IJK

FOX PANEL ATTACKS ELIZABETH WARREN

A Fox Business panel took Elizabeth Warren wildly out of context on minimum wage. But the facts support Warren because even as worker productivity has grown, wages have been stagnant. http://mm4a.org/15YVrIn

NRA PUSHES AGAINST BACKGROUND CHECKS

An NRA op-ed this week pushed myths about background check legislation pending in Congress. Get the facts: http://mm4a.org/11fyTQU

HE WAS NOT INVOLVED THIS TIME

Fox pundits are still pushing conspiracy theories that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. The network even let Oliver North of all people push the debunked theory that Iraq illegally trafficked weapons. Seriously. http://mm4a.org/YXAU47

IMAGE OF THE WEEK

Why Iraq War Boosters Matter 10 Years Later

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

President Obama in Israel

03/21/2013 Nativegrl77

President Obama Holds a Press Conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

by whitehouse

~ FDA/USDA ~~ Alerts & Safety, ~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)

03/21/2013 Nativegrl77

— Medprep Consulting Inc. Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall Of All Lots Of All Compounded Products Due To Potential Mold Contamination -2

03/20/2013 09:24 PM EDT

Tinton Falls, NJ., Med Prep Consulting, Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots of all products compounded at its facility. The level of recall is to the user, that is, regional hospital pharmacies and related departments, and physicians office practices. The recall resulted from the pharmacy being notified by a Connecticut hospital, that it observed visible particulate contaminants in 50 ml bags of MAGNESIUM SULFATE 2GM IN DEXTROSE 5 Percent IN WATER, 50ML FOR INJECTION intravenous solution confirmed to be mold.

— New Chapter, Inc. Issues Voluntary Recall Undeclared soy identified in one lot of Probiotic Elderberry dietary supplement

03/20/2013 07:11 PM EDT

New Chapter, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of packages of its 90 count Probiotic Elderberry dietary supplement because it may contain an undeclared allergen – soy. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.

— Clinical Specialties Compounding Pharmacy Announces Voluntary Nationwide Recall of All lots of Sterile Products Repackaged and Distributed by Clinical Specialties Compounding Due to Lack of Sterility Assurance

03/20/2013 09:22 PM EDT

Clinical Specialties is voluntarily recalling All Lots of All Sterile products repackaged and distributed by the pharmacy due to lack of sterility assurance. The recall of all sterile products is conducted in follow-up to concerns regarding practices at the site which cannot assure the sterility of the products. The expanded recall follows the firms initial recall of Avastin due to reports of five patients who have been diagnosed with serious eye infections associated with the use of the product.

— Daesang Issues Allergy Alert on Undeclared Peanuts in Mixed Soy Bean Paste (Sesame and Garlic)

March 19, 2013 – Daesang America Inc. One University Plaza, Suite 603, Hackensack, NJ 07601 is recalling its 500gram (17.64 Ounce) packages of Sesame and Garlic flavored Mixed Soy Bean Paste because they may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have allergies to peanuts run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

— La Preferida, Inc. Issues A Voluntary Recall Of La Preferida Whole Pinto Beans 29 OZ. (Water & Salt)

03/20/2013 03:04 PM EDT

La Preferida, Inc. is voluntarily recalling 4,734 cases (56,808 cans) of La Preferida Whole Pinto Beans 29 oz. (Water & Salt). Can Code: PINTO LP, BEST BY 01/03/2015, “Time” 3003. The manufacturer’s preliminary inspection indicates 420 cans may not have been fully processed, which could result in product contamination by spoilage organisms or by pathogens, which could lead to illness if consumed.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

A Trillion Dollar Boost

03/21/2013 Nativegrl77

By ThinkProgress War Room

How a Path to Citizenship Will Boost the Economy

Reforming our broken immigration system and offering the 11 million undocumented immigrants already here a path to earned citizenship is morally right thing to do, but it’s also the economically smart thing. A new report out today from our colleagues at the Center for American Progress outlines how immigration reform will offer a tremendous boost to the economy — especially if reform includes the vital pathway to citizenship.

Here are some of the key numbers to know:

Cumulative increase in GDP of $1.1 TRILLION.
Cumulative increase in the income of all Americans of $618 BILLION.
Increase in federal taxes paid by undocumented immigrants of $91 BILLION.
Increase in state and local taxes paid by undocumented immigrants of $53 BILLION.
Earnings of undocumented immigrants would increase by 25.1 percent, a cumulative increase in earnings of $515 BILLION.
Average annual increase in jobs of 159,000.

(All figures are the gains over ten years based on undocumented immigrants acquiring legal status in 2013 and citizenship 5 years later.)

As this handy chart shows, the sooner undocumented immigrants become citizens, the bigger the boost to the economy:

It’s hard to appreciate what some of these figures mean in real life, so here are some examples of the economic benefits of immigration reform:

Education: The GOP budget cuts education funding per capita by 47 percent; taxes from new citizens would fund 1.5 MILLION special education teachers.
Infrastructure: While the GOP budget slashes spending on roads, bridges, schools, airports, and other infrastructure, taxes from new citizens could rebuild the San Francisco Bay Bridge 23 times over.
College Affordability: The $91 BILLION in additional federal tax revenue paid by new citizens would fund more than 16 MILLION additional Pell grants over the next ten years.
Teachers: The $53 BILLION in additional state revenue paid by new citizens would fund more than 1 MILLION new K-12 teachers over the next years.

For more information on how immigration reform will boost the economy, check out the full report HERE.

BOTTOM LINE: Undocumented immigrants are makers not takers and putting them on a path to earned citizenship will help these new citizens and their communities and boost the economy by over $1 TRILLION.