Sometimes, it's just best that when we write in a public paper, about a public event... well that we just do some investigation. I've included below an email I sent to Eugene Robinson of the Washington Post. Eugene,
Before you "write" an editorial or column I believe it is ALWAYS wise to get the FACTS! In your recent Washington Post article "Mad as Hell at Teatime" you reported:
"The made-for-television demonstrations in cities across the country were generally small, and the only thing they proved conclusively is that -- you might want to sit down -- some Americans don't much enjoy paying taxes. What the rallies suggested, however, is that opposition to the Obama administration is coalescing into what I would call a Howard Beale Faction, in honor of the choleric anchorman in the movie "Network" whose signature line now seems to have been elevated into philosophy: "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"
Let me correct you on THREE points in the above paragraph. FIRST - the "made-for-television" (yes I quote you on that one) were not "generally small", if you need pictures to see the CROWDS of individuals who attended...I'll be more than happy to supply those for you. SECOND the rallies were NOT about taxes. The rallies were about BIG GOVERNMENT SPENDING which will produce huge taxation for our children and grandchildren, and even ourselves. The current administration has already created huge deficits...need I tell you how much? THIRD - the tea parties are not about opposition to Obama... once again let me repeat myself, the tea parties were against huge spending bills....which....WE THE PEOPLE will have to pay.
"There was anger at hemorrhagic government spending, and this plotline in the mad-as-hell narrative at least made sense. A neutral observer might point out that the president who should have to answer for this year's astronomical $1.7 trillion deficit is George W. Bush, since this is his budget -- and since he's the one who hid the costs of our two faraway wars and demanded a king's ransom to bail out the banks. But it's not as if Obama is some kind of tightwad, given his decision -- which I support -- to push ahead with new spending on health care, education and energy. And anyway, in the worldview of the Howard Beale Faction, the important distinction isn't between one president and the next." It's between "us" and "them."
LOL I love it when OBVIOUS liberals BLAME this administration's spending on the last administration. I believe you failed to report the amount of Republican Congressmen who voted against both the Stimulus and the Omnibus bills. AND the worst mistake you made throughout YOUR editorial is that you used the word MAD six times, and ANGER 3 times. Obviously YOU didn't attend a "TEA PARTY" as your observation is WAY off from what REALLY was represented at the tea parties.
"A growing sense of us vs. them, of the little guy vs. the big guy, is out there waiting to be exploited by anyone clever enough to fashion a sophisticated populist critique of the Obama administration's policies. I know it seems crazy to use words like "clever" and "sophisticated" in connection with today's Republican Party, but stranger things have happened."
Fear breeds fear. Indeed your final summation certainly points to us vs. them. However your last sentence made me laugh out loud. I just didn't BELIEVE that people still "grouped people" in this day and age. I seriously thought bigotry and racism went out way back in the 60's. Indeed you might do a bit more RESEARCH before you WRITE about the next TEA PARTIES. I invite you to attend a 4th of July TEA PARTY in Dallas with me. I believe your eyes will be truly OPENED!
I look forward to seeing you in Dallas on the 4th of July!
D
Eugene's entire column can be read at the below link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603471.html/article/2009/04/16/AR2009041603471.html?hpid%3Dopinionsbox1&sub=AR
Day 1 - 8:57 am, Thurs. April 23 - No response from Eugene
Day 2 - 8:57 am, Fri. April 24 - No response from Eugene
Day 3 - 8:57 am, Sat. April 25 - No response from Eugene
Day 4 - 8:57 am, Sun. April 26 - No response from Eugene
Day 5 - 8:57 am, Mon. April 27 - No response from Eugene
Day 6 - 8:57 am, Tue. April 28 - No response from Eugene
Day 7 - 8:57 am, Wed. April 29 - No response from Eugene
Day 7 - 8:59 am, Wed. April 29 - Resent original email to Eugene.
7 comments:
DOPE: Nothing like contradicting yourself with in the same breath:
"SECOND the rallies were NOT about taxes. The rallies were about BIG GOVERNMENT SPENDING which will produce huge taxation for our children and grandchildren, and even ourselves.
The brilliant Eugene Robinson nailed it here-thanks for repeating it:
"$1.7 trillion deficit is George W. Bush, since this is his budget -- and since he's the one who hid the costs of our two faraway wars and demanded a king's ransom to bail out the bank"
You continue to display undeserved arrogance along with your warping of the facts. Robinson could not have been more factual and spot on in his assessments. You on the other hand need continue to embarrass yourself with the notion that you are clear thinking on any of these matters. You're simply not.
Diana, I really enjoyed reading your blog. I share your conservative views. I found "Anonymous" comments amusing, uninformed, and childish. Typical liberal behavior. 1. Perhaps "Anonymous" should educate himself on what the tea parties stand for. Perhaps when he "grows up" he may want to attend.
The tea party website asks, Are you fed up with a Congress and a president who:
vote for a $500 billion tax bill without even reading it?
are spending trillions of borrowed dollars, leaving a debt our great-grandchildren will be paying?
consistently give special interest groups billions of dollars in earmarks to help get themselves re-elected?
want to take your wealth and redistribute it to others?
punish those who practice responsible financial behavior and reward those who do not?
admit to using the financial hurt of millions as an opportunity to push their political agenda?
run up trillions of dollars of debt and then sell that debt to countries such as China?
want government-controlled health care?
want to take away the right to vote with a secret ballot in union elections?
refuse to stop the flow of millions of illegal immigrants into our country?
appoint a defender of child pornography to the No. 2 position in the Justice Department?
want to force doctors and other medical workers to perform abortions against their will?
want to impose a carbon tax on your electricity, gas and home-heating fuels?
want to reduce your tax deductibility for charitable gifts?
take money from your family budget to pay their federal budget?
2nd.
Fox news has been #1 cable news for months. Bill Oreilly #1 for 100 months. Perhaps "Anonymous" should educate himself before posting comments to your blog. I would suggest he watch FOX NEWS.
MediaPost Publications Fox News Ratings Cheer News Corp. ...
Apr 10, 2009 ... Three months after Barack Obama took the White House, Fox News is beating its rival cable news networks, MSNBC and CNN, in the ratings game. ...
www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.show... - 49k -
Keep up the good work Diana, Rose Brooks
between Bush's 8 years and Obama's one month we have accumulated $3.6 trillion of new debt. How does that work for you, "anonymous"?? Rose
yes, the little dems are having a hard time grasping the "tea parties". Let them drink koolaid!!!
Rose! Great to see you have visited my blog!
Eugene Robinson just won a PULITZER PRIZE for his writing. The man knows what he's talking about and knows how to express it.
If there was a prize for pettiness and small mindedness, it would no doubt go to the originator of this blog.
lol Sep...
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