Thread by @magi_jay

I wrote about the disconnect between Biden's approval rating--which appears to be slumping--& approval for his agenda--which remains high. This isn't just a problem for Democrats. It's a problem for democracy. The media has a role to play. editorialboard.com/bidens-policie…

There are likely multiple factors contributing to Biden's slumping approval, some of which can be attributed to Dem messaging, as well as other issues, such as inflation. That said, the *decoupling* between approval for a president & approval for his agenda is very concerning.

Picture it this way: Biden is passing & advancing popular legislation that has real importance for many Americans. They like the agenda. And, yet, there is an atmosphere around Biden & Dems that is not only driving them away from Biden, but towards the GOP, who oppose the agenda.

So where does the media come into this? There are at least three major factors:
-Failure to relay the content of the bills to the public
-Relentless negativity bias
-A near total erasure of Republican agency

In terms of the content of the bill, the media really can't avoid some accountability here. Polling has shown that voters have heard about the bill's cost much more than they've heard about specific provisions. editorialboard.com/bidens-policie…

To illustrate how damaging this disconnect is to democracy, consider Paid Leave, which is in danger of being cut:
73% of Americans support Paid Leave
Only 46% have heard it was in the BBB Bill
Would Paid Leave be in danger of being cut if more Americans knew it was on the table?

A whopping *88%* of Americans support lowering drug prices. 84% support expanding Medicare to include dental/vision/hearing.

Yet as few as 40% of Americans have heard about these provisions. This has consequences for their decision-making as democratic citizens.

The next issue is the press's negativity bias. When we talk about negativity bias, it's not to say the press shouldn't be critical. It's that they shouldn't be disproportionately drawn to negative information while erasing all positive info. This is in *disservice* of the truth.

In terms of Biden's agenda, the negativity bias has been directed at the price tag, as well as onerous legislative negotiations. In the latter case, Democrats are actually being *penalized* for attempting to participate in a democracy. You negotiate? You're in "disarray."

Do I think that the press needs to cheerlead for Joe Biden? Of course not. But relaying objective non-negative facts is not cheerleading. Imagine if every headline you'd seen since June cited how popular Biden's agenda was. Just cited the #'s: "BBB at Unprecedented 58% Approval"

Imagine if every headline about Manchin & Sinema's shenanigans included info about the popularity of the provisions they wanted to cut. "Manchin opposed to Paid Leave; 73% of Americans disagree." Manchin opposed to Medicare Expansion; 84% of Americans disagree."

Etc.

The next real issue--& this one really, really gets me--is the erasure of Republican agency. Where are they in this whole process? Seems to me that they are *opposing* popular legislation & are being completely let off the hook. Not just that. They're gaining a midterm advantage!

Would the press be biased if they highlighted Republican agency & opposition to popular provisions?

No

What they would be doing is actually informing Americans of the legislative stakes

Imagine how things would be different w/ these neutral headlines: editorialboard.com/bidens-policie…

Now, you can accuse me of Democratic bias. I have it. But you cannot look at these *clear* disconnects & tell me that they don't have consequences for democracy overall. Americans do not know what's on the table. And they're willing to vote for those who oppose what they support.

This problem is not just about Biden. It's not just about Dems. It's about voters. It's about seniors who need help. It's about families who need help. It's about relaying the info that citizens need in order to maximally participate in a democracy & advance their own interests

As I write here, "Democrats want to fix bridges, provide childcare and lower drug costs. Republicans don’t. These are political facts and voters should be aware of them."

This information is almost completely absent from the conversation. editorialboard.com/bidens-policie…

Look, in a democracy, we should have it out with our opponents. Citizens should be informed of the fight. If Biden were unpopular & his agenda were unpopular, I would fight to persuade citizens. I don't know what to do if citizens aren't being informed of the actual stakes.

I didn't comment on this in my piece but it ranks very high in my rage-o-meter, is the erasure of GOP agency & COVID. We keep hearing about voters being depressed due to the ongoing pandemic & attributing that to Biden. Who is mostly responsible here, tho, by objective measures?

An actual NYT headline: "What went wrong in Florida?"

I can tell you what went wrong in Florida. They didn't get their vaccination rates high enough due to an extended anti-vax campaign. Coupled w/ anti-masking. De Santis was literally selling "Don't Fauci my Ouchie" merchandise

Would we still have a COVID problem if not for the GOP's radicalization of their base into an anti-public-health death cult? Probably. Kids weren't vaccinated until recently. Would this problem have been nearly as severe? Absolutely not. Look at the data:

https://twitter.com/charles_gaba/status/1460891528621080576

If you appreciated this thread, please consider subscribing to @johnastoehr's Editorial Board. He supports my research as well as the writing of many others. pico.link/editorialboard…

Truckers across America have endorsed Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. So, if you're concerned about supply chains, you should be pleased about this development

https://twitter.com/magi_jay/status/1462948922050199560

https://twitter.com/magi_jay/status/1463175338951852038