Posted by
Playful Walrus on Thursday, April 16, 2009 3:15:21 PM
The rapidly declining Los Angeles Times demonstrates today one of the reasons why it is in so much trouble. At least online, their main coverage of the TEA Parties, an article by Michael Finnegan and Janet Hook, is headlined this way:
Republicans Stage 'Tea Party' Protests Against Obama
Thousands of demonstrators in Southern California and elsewhere in the nation demand lower taxes and less government spending. But some GOP pollsters warn that the tactic could backfire.
And this is how the story begins:
Republicans sought to ignite a popular revolt against President Obama on Wednesday by staging "tea party" protests across the nation to demand lower taxes and less government spending -- but the tactic carried risk for the party.
Especially in California, the parties were mostly about more government spending, more debt, and higher taxes, either already implemented or that will be implemented as a result of the boost in spending. Sure, there were some Republicans involved and same of the people were focusing on Obama, but these events were NONPARTISAN and NOT Obama protests. The people who organized and participated are TAXPAYERS, some of them Democrats, some of them independents, some of them members of other parties other than the GOP, and they are upset with government in general, not just Obama.
The whole piece is a mess, especially with that lead-in.
You can read reactions here to an anti-TEA Party commentary that ran in the paper. There were about a thousand.
Why is it so hard to believe that "ordinary" people are actually and legitimately upset and taking action? Some people do understand that even if taxes are not raised directly on their income, they can still be hurt. Some people do understand that too much debt is not good for future generations. Some people do understand that they might someday be designated as “rich” and the target of direct taxes.
Anti-military-action and pro-shamnesty demonstrations, no matter how small or how much organizing was conducted by large, established groups, are taken seriously and with respect by the MSM. Why not TEA Parties?