Tea Party Updates

[longhorn_92]

Look at what happened to this CNN reporter who tried to focus on only the ones who were showing negative Obama signs rather than the issue. You have to wait for her interview part to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd2tg8gxCDU

Where are all the REAL Journalists??

[stevie_d_64]

I have a pretty good feeling that this will all be ignored, or more important, no action taken...It is not in their best political interest...

But the more the movement is mis-characterized, impuned, disrespected...The better as far as I am concerned...

That is a hole that I hope burns in people for another year and a half...

[NcongruNt]

Watching the Austin kvue 24 news, lead story is a tree in a park.... 30 sec report on tea parties…emphasized only right wing extremists, malcontents, and republicans..... Austin’s tea party at lunch had100 or so people…they left out they would let only a max of 200 to see the gov at lunch on their permit, the rest were turned away…..SA Alamo tea party on Beck-fox, 10000 folks, not on Austin news I knew the media was biased, but this is an eye-opener for me.

This pretty well rebuts the reported low turnout for Austin. http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum/sh ... p?p=891173" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note the bit about APD estimating over 5,000 in attendance.

That link is not viewable to anyone who does not have a membership with that site.

[NcongruNt]

Watching the Austin kvue 24 news, lead story is a tree in a park.... 30 sec report on tea parties…emphasized only right wing extremists, malcontents, and republicans..... Austin’s tea party at lunch had100 or so people…they left out they would let only a max of 200 to see the gov at lunch on their permit, the rest were turned away…..SA Alamo tea party on Beck-fox, 10000 folks, not on Austin news I knew the media was biased, but this is an eye-opener for me.

This pretty well rebuts the reported low turnout for Austin. http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum/sh ... p?p=891173" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note the bit about APD estimating over 5,000 in attendance.

That link is not viewable to anyone who does not have a membership with that site.

[KD5NRH]

Watching the Austin kvue 24 news, lead story is a tree in a park.... 30 sec report on tea parties…emphasized only right wing extremists, malcontents, and republicans..... Austin’s tea party at lunch had100 or so people…they left out they would let only a max of 200 to see the gov at lunch on their permit, the rest were turned away…..SA Alamo tea party on Beck-fox, 10000 folks, not on Austin news I knew the media was biased, but this is an eye-opener for me.

This pretty well rebuts the reported low turnout for Austin. http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum/sh ... p?p=891173" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Note the bit about APD estimating over 5,000 in attendance.

That link is not viewable to anyone who does not have a membership with that site.

Oops. Well, I won't repost the photos directly, but the relevant part of the text follows:

Because the Austin Police Department determined there was at least 5000 people there, they decided it was best to block southbound Congress Avenue as the mass moved to Auditorium shores for a mock Tea Party re-enactment. Here is the beginning of that movement down Congress Avenue. I will post more when I get a chance. I will also post more from the morning Tea Party at Austin City Hall.

The photo of that march is fairly impressive.

[SlowDave]

I went to the San Antonio one and it was pretty good. No politicians, relatively organized, but not polished, which might have added to the grass-roots feel, although there were large video screens (wouldn't call them "jumbo trons") up and a decent sound system. Mostly on topic. Worst was the toll road lady who talked for what seemed like an hour!!! Sheesh! Others: there was a high school kid that talked, and Beck and The Nuge were there, and Janine someone (nice looking actress from Northern Exposure) and her daughter, that were fresh, unrehearsed, and energetic. A lady who had immigrated from...?Colombia? or somewhere. All in all a good event. Just needed a hook to get the toll lady off her soap box.

[KD5NRH]

My shots from the Stephenville Tea Party. Pretty good turnout for a small town. A few speeches from local politicians, and lots of signs and flags waving.

http://kd5nrh.smugmug.com/gallery/7915657_5vvZq

[Oldgringo]

There were a couple hundred participants on the courthouse lawn in Brenham who seemed to be enjoying themselves. I hope it sends a message and that message is received in the manner intended.

[The Annoyed Man]

Look at what happened to this CNN reporter who tried to focus on only the ones who were showing negative Obama signs rather than the issue. You have to wait for her interview part to see it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd2tg8gxCDU

Where are all the REAL Journalists??

Evidently, they are not to found:

Avoiding Criticism: CNN Shuts Down Anti-Tea Party Reporter's Email Address
By Warner Todd Huston
NewsBusters
April 16, 2009 - 21:28 ET

So, we are all well aware of the so-called "reporter" from CNN, Susan Roesgen whose on-air haranguing of those she was ostensibly reporting on made obvious her anti-Republican bias. Well, for the past day Americans have been emailing her to let her know how they feel about her unprofessional attitude. Apparently, CNN does not appreciate hearing from its viewers, though, because all of a sudden anyone that sends an email to Roesgen's CNN email address will have it returned as address unknown!

Wouldn't want the hoi poloi's voices heard.

Partied-Out CNN Reporter Takes a Break
TVNewser
MediaBistro.com
Friday, Apr 17

CNN denies reports that Roesgen's email was shut down. A spokesperson tells TVNewser many people were emailing what they believed to be Roesgen's CNN account, but it was actually a non-existent inbox. Her email account was and continues to be active.

So far Roesgen is not talking publicly about the situation. CNN tells us she's now on a previously-planned vacation.

This is what CNN claims - wrong e-mail addy, planned vacation - but it's CNN.

Fox-Bashing CNN Reporter Applied for a Job at Fox
By John Cook, 10:21 AM on Fri Apr 17 2009
Gawker.com

CNN's Susan Roesgen went nuts on the air Wednesday at a Chicago tea party, blaming everything (accurately) on Fox News. But maybe she was angry because Fox turned her down for a job—twice!
...
Back in 2005, though, according to a Fox News source, Roesgen really wanted to work for that right-wing conservative network. She sent a tape of her on-air work to Fox's then-programming chief Kevin Magee in January 2005, and followed up with another reel to Magee's successor Bill Shine in September 2005. Needless to say, she didn't get the gig.

H/T Pajamas media.

What CNN Didn't Show of Roesgen's Chicago Tea Party Interviews
By Noel Sheppard
NewsBusters
April 16, 2009

Members of FoundingBloggers.com continued to videotape Roesgen after her much-publicized argument with a Party-goer, and you'll be surprised at what transpired (video embedded below the fold h/t NBer Blazer, vulgarity warning):

You Tube has taken down the video embedded in the NewsBusters and FoundingBloggers web pages. Now FoundingBloggers has it back up again. So you can see a fuller picture of the CNN reporter-ette's advocacy.

And that's just CNN. Here are some more gems from other "mainstream" media:

Cable anchors and guests covered the anti-tax tea party protests by cracking a litany of barely concealed sexual references.

FOXNews.com
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Cable Anchors, Guests Use Tea Parties as Platform for Frat House Humor

Teabagging, for those who don't live in a frat house, refers to a sexual act involving part of the male [equippage] and a second person's face or mouth

{snip}

So when the anti-tax "tea party" protests were held Wednesday across the country, cable anchors and guests -- who for weeks had all but ignored the story -- covered the protests by cracking a litany of barely concealed sexual references.

{snip}

"It's hard to talk when you're teabagging," Cooper explained. Gergen laughed, but Cooper kept a straight face.

{snip}

MSNBC's David Shuster weaved a tapestry of "Animal House" humor Monday...

The protests, he explained, amount to "Teabagging day for the right wing and they are going nuts for it."

He described the parties as simultaneously "full-throated" and "toothless," and continued: "They want to give President Obama a strong tongue-lashing and lick government spending." Shuster also noted how the protesters "whipped out" the demonstrations this past weekend.

On another thread the other day, I posted something to someone who didn't believe that mainstream media were biased. The above references are exactly what the media think of folks like us, and we are simply never going to get a fair shake in the press. I rest my case.

And here is why all of this is so important:

Commentary: Why your taxes could double
By David M. Walker
Special to CNN

Editor's Note: David M. Walker served as comptroller general of the United States and head of the Government Accountability Office from 1998 to 2008. He is now president and CEO of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation.

(CNN) -- Even under the best of economic circumstances, tax season is a tense time for American households. The number of hours we collectively spend working on our returns is probably a lot more than government agencies claim.

The burden in financial terms is even greater: A recent independent survey found that the average American's total federal, state and local tax bill roughly equals his or her entire earnings from January 1 up until right before tax day.

Now imagine that tax bill doubling over time.

In recent years, the federal government has spent more money than it takes in at an increasing rate. Total federal debt almost doubled during President George W. Bush's administration and, as much as we needed some stimulus spending to boost the economy, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office now estimates total debt levels could almost double again over the next eight years based on the budget recently outlined by President Obama.

Regardless of what politicians tell you, any additional accumulations of debt are, absent dramatic reductions in the size and role of government, basically deferred tax increases. Remember the old saw? "You can pay me now or you can pay me later, with interest."

To help put things in perspective, the Peterson Foundation calculated the federal government accumulated $56.4 trillion in total liabilities and unfunded promises for Medicare and Social Security as of September 30, 2008. The numbers used to calculate this figure come directly from the audited financial statements of the U.S. government.

If $56.4 trillion in financial commitments is too big a number to digest, think of it as $483,000 per American household, or $184,000 for every man, woman and child in the country.

Even broken down, the numbers can be tough to swallow. Yes, you've paid your taxes, but you still bear a significant share of the government's own financial burden.

To help this news go down with a smile, the Peterson Foundation is supporting a campaign designed to help Americans understand what Washington is doing to us, rather than for us.

Meet Owen & Payne (http://www.owenandpayne.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), partners in a fictional accounting firm that specializes in helping Americans fill out the "new" Form 483000, which spells out how our elected officials are putting our nation into more and more debt and how that bill eventually will have to be paid: By doubling your taxes. The campaign is all in fun, but the intent is very serious.

Unless we begin to get our fiscal house in order, there's simply no other way to handle our ever-mounting debt burdens except by doubling taxes over time. Otherwise, our growing commitments for Medicare and Social Security benefits will gradually squeeze out spending on other vital programs such as education, research and development, and infrastructure.

Personal savings, while experiencing an uptick lately because of the recession, have been too low for too long. As a result, when our government has to borrow money, it must increasingly turn to lenders overseas.

Effectively addressing these issues will require tough choices and comprehensive reforms, including budget controls, changes to our entitlement programs, reductions in health care costs, other spending cuts, and yes, tax increases. But as the old saw goes, paying now, or paying soon, won't be as painful as paying later.

So as you file your tax returns this year, bear in mind that no matter how much you're paying now, you'll pay much more in the future because of Washington's failure to get its finances in order. If you don't like the idea, then get informed and get involved. And by listening rather than punishing, help encourage our elected officials to speak the truth about our financial condition, even if it means reforming entitlements, cutting spending, and yes, raising taxes.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David M. Walker.

[TAM's Note: CNN never feels the need to include qualifications like the above editor's comment when the editorial is coming from a liberal. The only reason they've published this piece is that it makes a weak case for increasing taxes sooner, rather than later. . . .]

So when you protest against the misuse of your tax dollars in Washington, you're not just ticking off the liberal politicians, you're ticking off the liberal media, which believes that it knows better what is good for you than you do yourself.