May Trade Deficit Shows Slight Improvement
The nation's trade deficit shrunk markedly in May as a drop in oil prices offset increases in imports of other products, the government reported today.
I mean - do I really have to say... anything? 'Shrunk markedly' vs. 'slight improvement'?
Like, has anyone ever considered distributing... dictionaries... to the editors at the New York Times?
But I guess the new mantra over at the NY Times is if the facts in the story don't support your view - hell, just make up some new facts for the headline!
And then in the e-mail version - more fact free editing:
BUSINESS | July 13, 2005 May Trade Deficit Shows Slight Improvement By VIKAS BAJAJ The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in May to $55.3 billion as exports rose slightly to a new record and imports retreated a bit.
OK - so the original story said the trade deficit 'shrunk markedly', then one editor's headline said - 'slight improvement' and now the e-mail editor uses the words - 'narrowed', 'slightly' and 'a bit'.
Clearly no editorial bias here, folks!
Breaking News!
If the story does not fit the headline - the story must be changed to fit the headline! My lead quote at the top came from the front page teaser for the story. That teaser has now been changed to the following:
By VIKAS BAJAJ
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed unexpectedly in May to $55.3 billion as exports rose slightly to a new record and imports retreated a bit.
So now the story on the lead page of the website drops 'shrunk markedly' for 'narrowed' - but the story it links to - is still what the writer had written. Now as the original story may shortly be sent to reeducation camp for political enlightenment - below is the top part story as it now appears. It will be curious to see what it ends up being by the time all the editors get finished with it.
May Trade Deficit Shows Slight Improvement
The nation's trade deficit shrunk markedly in May as a drop in oil prices offset increases in imports of other products, the government reported today.
The United States imported $55.3 billion in goods and services more than it exported, down from $56.9 billion in April and far from a peak of $60.1 billion in February, according to the Commerce Department. Economists were expecting a deficit of $57 billion.
Exports increased less than 1 percent, to $106.9 billion, while imports fell $1.4 billion, to $162.2 billion.
The trade deficit came on the same day that the Bush administration slashed its estimate of the federal budget deficit for fiscal 2005 to $333 billion, down $94 billion from an earlier forecast. The lower deficit numbers were cited by the White House as evidence that its policies have helped the economy.
"It's a sign that our economy is strong, and it's a sign that our tax relief plan, our pro-growth policies, are working," Mr. Bush said after a cabinet meeting in Washington today.
LATEST UPDATE!!
July 14, 2005
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1 comment:
well.. it's like I knew!
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