Dear Robert Reich, Regarding your example #3, the New York Times attempts to split the difference. Best, Retiring Guy

 

In your 11/27/2023 AlterNet opinion piece, "'Breathtaking dysfunction':  How the media is quietly helping Trump and his allies', you note the following:

Which brings us to the third way the mainstream media is quietly helping Trump. It makes it seem as if the dysfunction in Washington is coming from both parties.

As if on cue, the New York Times published this headline:

Which indeed makes it sound as though the dysfunction is coming from both sides.

In paragraph 3, however, reporter Kayla Guo makes the following observation:

The wave of lawmakers across chambers and parties announcing they intend to leave Congress comes at a time of breathtaking dysfunction on Capitol Hill, primarily instigated by House Republicans.  [.emphasis added]

One could quibble, I suppose, over the use of the adverb 'primarily' when taking into account a dysfunctional GOP cast of characters that includes Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert, Paul Gosar, Mary Miller, Chip Roy....