Telling the Whole Truth...

Telling the whole truth. That is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."

“The Factor” wants you to have all the facts before you make up your mind on an issue. That's been our philosophy from the beginning. We hide nothing.

But others in the media do. For example, The New York Times desperately wants to kill President Bush's private Social Security plan, saying it's dangerous.

What the "Times" did not say in its long editorial this week is that the program would be totally voluntary. Somehow the "Times" left that out of the equation.

Also, the "Times" didn't mention that Americans donate billions to overseas charities when the paper called the U.S. government cheap in dispensing foreign aid. Again, the "Times" somehow left out the fact that private donations account for 75 percent of foreign giving.

The reason the left doesn't want you to know the whole truth is an agenda. The New York Times and its cousins want higher taxes and bigger government. The liberal media believes only a huge progressive federal presence can make us a humane nation.

Now today in "The Wall Street Journal," we learned for the first time America has slipped out of the top 10 as far as nations having a free economy.

Here's a quote from analyst Mary Anastasia O'Grady.

"Most alarming is the U.S.'s fiscal burden, which imposes high marginal tax rates for individuals and very high marginal corporate tax rates. In terms of corporate taxation as an element of economic freedom, the U.S. ranks a lowly 112th out of the 155 countries scored, and its top individual tax rate ranks only slightly better at 82nd."

And the left wants even higher taxes which would certainly choke the economy, but that's OK. The progressive goal of income redistribution — that is taking money away from affluent Americans and giving it to those who don't have much — requires steep tax rates. That is what "The New York Times" and its acolytes are after, but they will never tell you that.

Likewise, we're not getting the whole truth about Alberto Gonzales (search) whose nomination as attorney general will be vetted this week by Congress. The left despises Gonzales because he doesn't want Geneva Convention protections given to accused terrorists captured abroad.

Gonzales reasons that if a person is captured wearing civilian clothing, not fighting for a specific country and targeting civilians, that terrorist should be bound over to the military and subject to rigorous interrogation, including sleep deprivation, exposure to loud noise and other methods short of physical contact.

Again, this is violently — pardon the pun — opposed by the left which generally wants due process in civilian courts for terrorists captured abroad and no coercive interrogation techniques whatsoever. Thus, Gonzales is being labeled an enabler of torture and worse. He's being branded a villain by the far left.

And that's the whole truth. Now you can make up your mind about Social Security, foreign aid and Alberto Gonzales. As always, "Talking Points" isn't trying to persuade you. As Jack Webb used to say, we just want the facts, ma'am.

And that's the "Memo."

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

Our friends at PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, are mad at Jimmy Carter because — are you ready — he's a fisherman. Apparently, President Carter told Jay Leno he accidentally hooked himself while casting, and PETA wants him to stop fishing right now.

PETA believes fish are intelligent creatures who feel pain, which immediately separates them from journalists. No word from Mr. Carter whom you may remember was attacked by a vicious rabbit in 1979 and beat it back with a canoe paddle.

This may be a ridiculous suggestion, but perhaps Jimmy Carter might want to stay indoors.