Barone's Big Picture

Here is a piece by Michael Barone that's well worth reading. It points out that -- if one steps back and takes a look at the "big picture" -- world circumstances (and America's) are much better than most of us believe.

He's dead right. But his column begs the question: Why do so few people understand the progress that's being made, and the relatively positive state of affairs at home and abroad?

My answer: It's the press, which is motivated by two factors: (1) What's easy and dramatic to cover (bombings, rather than balloting, for example); and (2) Ideology.

For example, Barone notes that many Americans' dark view of the economy is out of synch with the facts. Could it be because of this? "American newspapers tend to give more positive news coverage to the same economic news when Democrats are in the Presidency than for Republicans."