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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/fiscal-cliff-blog/2012/dec/05/fiscal-cliff-language-lunacy
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Fiscal cliff: a necessary term or just language lunacy? | Fiscal cliff: a necessary term or just language lunacy? |
| (30 days later) | |
| Should we just call it The Fiscal Disagreement Which Shall Not Be Named? | Should we just call it The Fiscal Disagreement Which Shall Not Be Named? |
| The fiscal cliff is the unfortunate yet necessary term that many news organizations and businesses are saddled with for the duration of the debate. Yes, we know there is nothing resembling a cliff, or a slope, or a butte, or any other kind of geological formation. Yes, the word fiscal puts everyone to sleep. But it's all we have, isn't it? | The fiscal cliff is the unfortunate yet necessary term that many news organizations and businesses are saddled with for the duration of the debate. Yes, we know there is nothing resembling a cliff, or a slope, or a butte, or any other kind of geological formation. Yes, the word fiscal puts everyone to sleep. But it's all we have, isn't it? |
| Not exactly. A growing group of media – and media-savvy – dissidents are backing away from the term. | Not exactly. A growing group of media – and media-savvy – dissidents are backing away from the term. |
| CNBC, which has started a Rise Above campaign designed to convince lawmakers to reach some kind of agreement, is trying to distance itself from the term fiscal cliff, though it has tried to impress upon viewers the drama of the situation. Its website puts the term fiscal cliff in quotes, like this: "Obama meets with Governors on 'Fiscal Cliff.' USA Today also takes this route of the derisive quote marks. | CNBC, which has started a Rise Above campaign designed to convince lawmakers to reach some kind of agreement, is trying to distance itself from the term fiscal cliff, though it has tried to impress upon viewers the drama of the situation. Its website puts the term fiscal cliff in quotes, like this: "Obama meets with Governors on 'Fiscal Cliff.' USA Today also takes this route of the derisive quote marks. |
| Viewers will find, however, that while watching CNBC they'll find chyrons that read "America's Economy Held Hostage" adjacent to a fiscal cliff countdown calendar. (Today it's 27 days left.) CNBC also has an occasional fiscal cliff countdown timer – which calculates to the second how much time Congress and the President have left to work this out. | Viewers will find, however, that while watching CNBC they'll find chyrons that read "America's Economy Held Hostage" adjacent to a fiscal cliff countdown calendar. (Today it's 27 days left.) CNBC also has an occasional fiscal cliff countdown timer – which calculates to the second how much time Congress and the President have left to work this out. |
| MSNBC has chosen an impish route, irreverently dubbing the dead-serious negotiations The Fiscal Follies, with an accompanying icon of a wheel of dollar bills. | MSNBC has chosen an impish route, irreverently dubbing the dead-serious negotiations The Fiscal Follies, with an accompanying icon of a wheel of dollar bills. |
| The US chamber of commerce, also unafraid of a bold statement, goes with Taxmageddon. | The US chamber of commerce, also unafraid of a bold statement, goes with Taxmageddon. |
| The New York Times, which started a blog about the fiscal cliff, changed its utilitarian name to The Debt Reckoning: The Fiscal Deadline in Washington, and disdainfully added a few lines about "the so-called fiscal cliff" on at least one post. | The New York Times, which started a blog about the fiscal cliff, changed its utilitarian name to The Debt Reckoning: The Fiscal Deadline in Washington, and disdainfully added a few lines about "the so-called fiscal cliff" on at least one post. |
| There are, however, traditionalist holdouts. We at the Guardian, for instance, proudly tout our fiscal cliff live blog and use the term liberally in our news coverage, as does The Wall Street Journal, which has a fiscal cliff topic page and Twitter feed. The Journal, does, however, occasionally make use of the term "so-called fiscal cliff". | There are, however, traditionalist holdouts. We at the Guardian, for instance, proudly tout our fiscal cliff live blog and use the term liberally in our news coverage, as does The Wall Street Journal, which has a fiscal cliff topic page and Twitter feed. The Journal, does, however, occasionally make use of the term "so-called fiscal cliff". |
| Guardian readers, do you have suggestions on what news organizations should call the fiscal cliff? Drop your suggestions in the comments below. | Guardian readers, do you have suggestions on what news organizations should call the fiscal cliff? Drop your suggestions in the comments below. |
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