BBC Report Sheds Light On Bush 'Hoovervilles'

"What if there was a depression and nobody told?" That's the question raised by the blogger at The Subliterate Cinephile, responding to a searing BBC report on the "subprime shantytowns" that have sprung up in Los Angeles. Reminiscent of the "Hoovervilles" that sprung up across the United States, these images - called "grim" by the BBC reporter - make all the talk of whether or not we may be heading into a recession seem awfully hollow. And the essential question, raised by Boing Boing's Cory Doctorow, is why we have "found out about this from the BBC and not US media."

[WATCH:]

Comments

[Nova16]

The dysfunctional media--the press and the network news have been cheerleading the Bush administration failures for the past seven years. Each has abrogated its former posture as the watchdog of government policies and activities that run counter to the best interests and welfare of the American people. If it weren't for the Comedy Channel there would never be a true revelation of the current corruption in Washington on a daily basis. The evening news progams and talking heads deal with about 30 seconds of important news and the rest of the time is devoted to trivia about some entertainment peronality, sports figure, or love affair or some other insipid piece of trash. Faux news is biased and partisan but al least you get a feel of what the fascists are thinking and spewing to the public and the reporting has some depth and just not a superficial glance offered by the evening news and no real indepth coverage of an issue or problem that could be of importance to the American economy, the los of life in Iraq, particularly a good dose of this "war" and the accounting of squandered treasure that is lost forever.

[BigBagel]

I like Fox News. You can see them coming miles away. The real disinformation is in media outlets like the NY Times. They were big war pumpers. Remember Judith Miller?

[PrdAmerican]

In the face of this video and the stark reality of what Americans are facing today, by all means, let's continue to bicker and fight about J. Wright, debate Michigan/Florida, humor ouselves with 30 second soundbytes, discuss pant suits, and IGNORE the fact that this nation is crumbling down around us. Forget about Nero Fiddling while Rome burns, it's Americans who are bickering about the petty while the US burns.

[booksnmore4you]

The thing I *really* weant to know is...how this news going to effect Britnney Spears?

NOT!

[booksnmore4you]

Oh my Lord!!! I am irrate! Here our U.S. press continually scrapes the gutter playing clips of a cranky old but family-loved preacher of Obama's 237 times per day, and they utterly ignore things that actualy frakin' matter. Reprehensible!!!

[loki]

This is the Reagan Dream that started under his rule. Remember, it was the Great Reagans administration that devised the strategy to run the US economy into what they called a " TrainWreck"
This does a couple things Reagan administration said. I forces the US public to accept the destruction of all social programs they now enjoy, leaving more money for war and corporate needs. It also creates an country of indentured slaves who are so far in debt, they will accept whatever Corporations will decide to pay them so they can keep their family fed and their debt manageable. For the last 20 or so years the ground work has been being laid bit by bit. The Bush Bankruptcy law change was a major step in allowing this to happen. The war and its hundreds of billions of dollars cost to US tax Payer was another.
There were many that on their own would not cause a big problem, but combined, they make Reagan grand plan, or what Bush Daddy called " The New World Order" come true. Yes, just think, you and your children, and probably their children and so on, will soon be living in the shadows of the Reagan Corporate empire. Arent we the luckiest people in the world?

[iPolitics]

Hoover: "Even I wouldn't have screwed up THIS economy."

[nellie]

This is heartbreaking. I live in Los Angeles, and I've been following the L.A. Times every day. I don't remember seeing anything like this.

Our media is doing everything it can to mask the treachery of the current administration so we will put another corporate crony in the White House. We've got to put a stop to this abuse. This year.

[LeftyLadig]

I too live in Los Angeles and read the LA Times thoroughly. This has not been on any news at all, except the BBC. I bet the same thing is happening in other places as well. We are in desparate need of a decent source of news in this country.

[GiggidyGeshmoygen]

PEOPLE, PLEASE... IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY DONE SO,

CHECK OUT BBCWORLD-AMERICA (a full hour, every night) FOR GLOBAL NEWS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE -

FACTUAL AND UNBIASED.

AND THEN, REMOVE C(orporate)NN FROM YOUR REMOTE.

[loki]

bbc is far from factual and unbias, but they are much better than the US media, that is for sure.

[julia06]

Reporters without BORders
US-56th most free press
Press Freedom Index 06
http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639

[julia06]

Shameful.
I wonder if the Am MSM will pick this up?

Remember we are ranked as having the 56th most free press in the world. (Reporters without Boarders.)
http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639

[pbfishtaco]

Will the post office deliver their "economic stimulus" checks to a vacant lot?

[andyg]

so it's news that there homeless in LA, there been a tent city in LA for the last 20 years, bad headline.

[tumblewind]

Yes! We know! The word 'homeless' came into being during the Reagan years! Another find upstanding fascist Republican! Who almost destroyed this country!

[Jimmyboyo]

Sad

[RickO]

Good place for a campaign speeh.

[BPCentrisAmerican]

SO!

[speakingtruth2power]

The MSM's non coverage of many inconvenient facts is the reason why

America is so close to an economic collapse without even knowing it.

Study up on Milton Friedman or Naomi Klein's 'Shock Doctrine' and

you will realize that this is not by accident or come about through W's

Incompetence. The aftermath of Katrina and the tsunami, Iraq's civil

war and the pending depression all expose the Bush's evil plans.

The collapse of the dollar will bring about the both the Amero and

the virtual reality of GHWB's planned Norte American Fascist Union.