Take a look at this video of a reporter "reporting" the tax day tea parties across the nation. She goes in to interview this guy with an incredibly vindictive attitude and literally fights with the protester, rather than asking questions and finding out what his point of view is.
Now watch another video, where we see how people really feel. This is the same reporter talking to people after that same interview, where it was insinuated that the tea party idea was only promoted by Fox. Let me just say that people wouldn't go if they didn't agree with it anyway. A network can't force people to go. I went to one and never actually watched any coverage of it on Fox or elsewhere. I heard about it through online social networking and email.
I think the worst part is when the reporter asked the guy, who was talking about freedom "what that has to do with taxation." Seriously? Our revolutionary cries for freedom from the British king had everything to do with just that: freedom. Specifically, economic freedom to do as we please with the fruits of our labor. Our EARNED money.
4 comments:
Brandon,
I don't disagree that the reporter does a bad job, but I wanted to ask you about the forefather's beef with taxation.
I always interpreted the forefather's case to be against taxation without representation, not just what they saw as unjust taxation. I've even heard that some of them thought a tea tax wouldn't be the worst thing if they had any say over where profits went.
Isn't this a different situation that stands as a separate issue from what the forefathers revolted against?
True, now we have taxation with representation.
I would say right now we have a problem with taxation without deliberation. Some of this stimulus/budget/etc. has been rammed through with little if any debate as to the merits of the spending. Wednesday, there will be a vote on overhauling the entire health care system and putting 17% of the economy under governmental control...and it's only been debated for a total of 35 hours.
Basically, right now it's a protest over a combination of things. Massive deficit spending, started by Bush and perfected by Obama. Tax increases that will be needed to try and pay for all these new government programs. And also the huge economic moral hazard created by rescuing failing companies.
How I relate this to the revolutionary era tea parties is this: people were upset by lack of representation yes. But they were also opposed to all executive decision making that went on without their consent. Executive orders, if you will. Just take a look at the Declaration of Independence, where they list a whole bunch of grievances besides taxation without representation.
Even if the reasons aren't identical to the revolutionaries, the rugged independent spirit is still at the heart of both protests then and now. It's just a patriotic way to protest in a way that goes back to our original roots, and try to remind people of what our roots are...which is limited government that should be afraid of the people, not control them.
I hate this video! HATE it! That is just so inappropriate.
I totally just noticed the second video....didn't see it before.. I really like what the woman at the protest said to the reporter. It's so very true. The reporter was being completely inappropriate by interrupting people and was being completely unfair.
When I said I hate the video ... I was talking about the first video-- the initial CNN report that was aired. It made me so mad!
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