4 ms·
Partisan bias notwithstanding, the plain facts presented in the article seem to indicate pretty objectively that there is a major nationwide problem with water
by igammarays 6y ago
Partisan bias notwithstanding, the plain facts presented in the article seem to indicate pretty objectively that there is a major nationwide problem with water infrastructure. Denial is blindness.
- "Nationwide, the rising cost of water has significantly outstripped the consumer price index over the past decade."
- Federal funding for water systems has fallen by 77 percent in real terms since its peak in 1977.
- The U.S. is the only country in the industrialized world without a regulatory system, responsible for monitoring rates and performance, according to Stephen Gasteyer, professor of sociology at Michigan State University.
- roenxi 6y agoYeah, and if the piece is neutral those are quite persuasive. But if it is partisan, those facts could be carefully selected to be highly misleading. It is easy to lie with true statistics. Every group of loons has a set of favoured statistics that they can trot out. Hypothetically, if it was decided in 1975 that there was going to be a transition from Federal to State management of water then the last two points would be evidence of a system working as intended. It isn't a fundamental truth that the US Federal government in particular has to be the body that regulates and funds water infrastructure. After reading the article I doubt there was such a deal but that is assuming the article is neutral despite a signal that I usually assume shows strong bias. It would be absolutely routine for a partisan to assume that their pet issue requires national funding by the Federal government. Happens in every country on every topic and it is often a stupid assumption.