Framing Political Conflict Within Budget Debate

MSNBC: House passes $6 trillion spending cut plan

MSNBC presented this story via the Associated Press. The article on the Republican-backed bill presented the relevant information, but not without a focus on party hostilities. Throughout the story, references to ideological conflicts between President Obama/Democrats and Republicans were highlighted. MSNBC appeared to focus more on the fighting than the actual story; the 2010 and 2012 elections received some attention, as did tensions within and between the political parties. I thought it was interesting that some of the important information, such as the possible effects of the bill, was placed after discussion of the elections and party conflicts. One of the article's closing statements referred to the potential for "another huge spending fight" in the summer and Republican congressmen being "under heavy tea party pressure" in negotiating more spending cuts. This story essentially followed a back and forth method of dramatization with an emphasis on how ideological differences have impacted and will affect elections. I can easily see readers of either political affiliation overlooking the basic information in this article in favor of focusing on the more dramatized points.