I honestly don't understand how anyone that actually reads the economist can agree with the satire "according to the economist there is no problem that couldn't

I honestly don't understand how anyone that actually reads the economist can agree with the satire "according to the economist there is no problem that couldn't be solved without lower taxation, more deregulation, and more free trade". Lowering taxation in particular doesn't seem to be on the agenda much at all; in fact they've run several pieces arguing for more taxation (the argument being that tax is relatively efficient) instead of alternatives. Similarly, they regularly advocate for (some) regulation too - but that doesn't mean they don't also make the argument that many regulations are ineffective or costly. Even on the topic of free trade, they occasionally point out the risks of uncontrolled trade; although they clearly favor free trade. Sure; their viewpoint has a focus; you'll get a different story elsewhere. But I don't see this as a kind of adversarial "us" vs. "them" issue: it's not that they're misleading you or even avoiding confronting other sides of the story; it's just that the world is a large place: not all topics can be in scope, even if several viewpoints are valid and partially in conflict with one another. You present the unified world view a little as if the focus on (e.g.) free trade is a bias that can be misleading; I suggest the alternative metaphor: it's more like the dentist reminding you to brush your teeth. You may not want to hear it, and he's a like a broken record, and it's not going to tell you much about how to cook, but that doesn't mean the dentist is wrong or trying to hide the importance of cooking from you. If there's a preconceived notion underlying the economist, it seems to be that its worthwhile to think of benefits and costs to society overall, and not just to individuals. Whether that's right or wrong is largely a matter of ethics; I doubt we'll ever know what's "best". Obviously, no newspaper is perfect; they will misjudge some things, some time. But so will you and I. Do you know of an outfit that appears to be less biased?