For decades I was a subscriber to the Chicago Tribune. The traditionally Republican paper in Chicago, for many decades it was the voice of Republicanism, and sometimes conservatism, throughout the Midwest. In the nineties I noticed that The Trib was changing. It was hiring more liberal columnists and the editorials took on an increasingly liberal flavor. The paper would still usually endorse Republicans at election time, but the endorsements were pro forma. Additionally, The Trib rarely had anything to say about the corruption that infested both parties and was busily producing the bankrupt Illinois that exists today. One columnist who was, and is, a bright light at The Trib, John Kass, constantly attacked “the Combine”, as he called it, that ruled both parties and made sure that insiders profited at the expense of the tax payers.
After my family became hooked up to the internet at the end of the nineties, living in a rural area did have its disadvantages back then in reference to obtaining a reliable internet service, I no longer needed The Trib for news, but I kept it out of inertia, although I was extremely unhappy with its increasingly leftist editorial views. The inertia came to an end when The Trib endorsed Obama in 2008. That ended my subscription, along with the subscriptions of quite a few other downstaters. I noticed after the fact that I didn’t miss the paper. It had become an anachronism in the age of the internet. My wife still buys a copy at Thanksgiving for the black Friday ads, but that is the only time a copy of The Trib enters McClarey Manor. The Trib endorsed Obama again in 2012 and its transformation into just another big city liberal rag seemed complete.
I was therefore surprised, and no doubt Obama was also, by The Trib’s editorial last Friday calling for the repeal of ObamaCare:
Go here to read the rest. I suspect that the powers that be at The Trib latched on to Obama because he seemed to be the wave of the future. It is interesting in studying history to observe just how many times waves of the future come asunder on the rocks of reality.
I too cancelled the Trib in 2008 for the same reason as you. I’m ashamed it took me that long to do the deed. I love getting the letters in the mail pleading with me to come back. I love sending these letters back telling them how much I do not miss them and I throw in some stats about the decline of their industry.
“I love getting the letters in the mail pleading with me to come back.”
Me too, although I just toss the letters out with the rest of the trash.
“I suspect that the powers that be at The Trib latched on to Obama because he seemed to be the wave of the future. It is interesting in studying history to observe just how many times waves of the future come asunder on the rocks of reality.”
Daniel chapter 4: http://www.usccb.org/bible/daniel/4
Would that such divine retribution could befall an entire political party . . . perhaps actually becoming jackasses might teach them something.