In a national story covered by NPR, Washington legislator Kirsten Harris-Talley explains in a letter why she isn’t seeking reelection (“Why I am not seeking reelection,” South Seattle Emerald, March 29).
I believe her story is the story of many progressives that get overwhelmed by the corruption of establishment power. This establishment power in Olympia is denying our families affordable health care because they yield to the power of the health care industry.
So why aren’t more journalists interested in this story? It appears that journalism has been co-opted by big money. Almost all media outlets are owned by corporations whose agenda is profit driven and does not look out for the rights and liberties of the people. With a few exceptions, reporters get their stories from think tanks, publicity corps and legislative staffs. If they write critical pieces of legislators they may lose their “access,” and that is death to a reporter.
The answer is to support independent journalism that is not supported (corrupted) by big money.
