Maybe we should find it refreshing that they're being openly partisan instead of pretending to be simply reporting the story.

Good Morning Christina,

We have a MSM that is little more than White House stenographers. I ended my Time and Newsweek subscriptions out of disgust. Newsweek was little more than Obamaweek.
We have reporters getting tingles up their legs over Obama and blubbering about awe struck seagulls at the Inaugaration, and this dimwit from CNN. Maybe they'll begin to figure out why newspapers are closing and viewership of MSM channels is at an all time low.
I never thought the day would come when I would miss Sam Donaldson.
We can be thankful we have an alternative media, which too many fledgling dictators don't have.

good point...they are killing themselves..

what a disgrace to journalism

Sorry, I had a little bit of trouble getting past the dad screaming an f-bomb while holding his child.

Gosh, what is it with all the homosexual referances to opposing individuals? Can't you make a point about an individual's poor political stance without resorting to referring to their sexual preference, it's none of our business, it's beside the point, and it's a cheap potshot and I would think you're above that.
Rachael C. (on a public computer)

It must be very difficult to be so marginalized when ultimate power was so recently in your grasp.

Pain,

What ultimate power?

Rachel C,

I'm not at all surprised the members of the MSM were aware of this term and its meaning in the gay community. I'm less surprised they would snicker like schoolchildren saying naughty words about it as well.
Its the first I ever heard of it, and I don't consider myself naive and uninformed. I'm certain most of those in the tea parties were unaware of this term as well.

Rachel, I think Jill mentioned Anderson's sexuality because this particular term refers to a homosexual act. Though, obviously there were plenty of heterosexual news anchors who took the joke and ran like the wind with it.

I'm trying to imagine the siutation if the tides were turned. Can you imagine the fall out if conservatives were making reference to homosexual acts as an insult to some liberal protest?

Heads would roll.

Good Morning Lauren,

Absolutely! What an excellent point. Why that would be the height of intolerance and insensitivity. You'd never see such bastions of tolerance, as are the members of the MSM and the left, doing anything like that!

"MSM is now mocking us."

Indeed. and very well deserved. What a bunch of kooks.

Given what Anderson Cooper said and that particular point of view, in first person singular, it sounds as though he's speaking from personal experience.

That's more than enough "information" for most people.

Yeah...it's a popular practical joke amongst drunk frat boys.

Hal,

The MSM are nothing but White House stenographers. I thought their responsiblity was to be government watchdogs, not presidential lapdogs.
Hopefully they can get rid of their leg tingles and stop blubbering about awe struck seagulls and start doing their job, assuming they even know what that is anymore.

Sam 10;53AM

Our MSM is even discussing this? I thought these were supposed to be journalists, not schoolchildren snickering about naughty things.

Next time, let's call 'em tea partyers.

I still don't know what t-bagging is and don't care....who wants to stoop to that level?

Mary, the teabaggers are worthy of being mocked. "Obama = Hilter?" Really??? "MAObama?" Really? For raising taxes three percentages points on the wealthiest of us? To the same rates as under Clinton. To lower than under Reagan. That makes Obama a "socialist?"

No one says you have to agree with Obama, but can you come up with some criticism that's not off the wall loony?

Hal,

It was your side who referred to Bush as Hitler. Why raise taxes on the wealthy? Who do you think already pays the bulk of taxes? Who do you think is providing employment?

Janet 11:05am

Our MSM. Its what now passed for journalism.

No one says you have to agree with Obama, but can you come up with some criticism that's not off the wall loony?

Hal,
What have you been reading for the last two years? If you want more criticism, check the archives.

1) Is Anderson Cooper even openly gay? I had no idea he came out of the closet
2) I'll say this as politely as possible, but tea bagging is NOT exclusively a 'homosexual' act. Many heterosexual couples take part in acts that homosexuals do as well.
3) Jill often notes someone's homosexuality, even if it isn't in regard to an act previously assumed to be only homosexual. I'd like to see everyone else referred to as "straight Senator X" or "heterosexual President Barack Obama" you know, just to be fair.

Hal, you realize that the MSM specifically picked the most off the wall person at the protest to interview, right? You also understand that in a crowd of 4000 we can not possibly vet every sign holder. Further, you must realize that the liberal blogsphere was falling all over themselves trying to infiltrate the tea parties to make conservativese look crazy.

All that said, I would still like you to explain why a liberal wearing a mask of Pres. Bush with a hitler mustache and devil horns is A-Ok, but saying that Obama is fascist is "Not fit for family viewing."

Good point AM. Sodomy is not primarily a homosexual act either, but you wouldn't know that from reading things around here.

Mary, why raise taxes at all? Well, if you haven't noticed, we're having a little budget deficit. As someone who will be paying more under the new system, I can tell you it won't kill me. I'd rather pay less taxes, but I'll manage. The whole "sky if falling" attitude seems grossly out of proportion to fairly mild shift in priorities.

Mary @ 11:21,

Sadly. :(

The MSM - They are all acting like spoiled schoolchildren who need a time out. It'll be interesting to see if Susan Roesgen is called out by management for her poor performance. (I won't be holding my breath.) Isn't one of the first rules of journalism that you have to distance yourself personally from the story you're reporting? Do they still teach that?

Hal, 11:32am

The budget deficit is due to irresponsible gov't spending, worsened by Obama, not enough taxation.
Taxation slows down the economy and generates unemployment. Also the wealthy will outsource to more tax friendly overseas sites, causing more job loss.

Oh Mary.

Even if you're right, that doesn't turn Obama into Hitler or even a socialist. Doesn't justify the goofy demonstrations.

Like I said, there's nothing wrong with a disagreement (or even a demonstration) over fiscal policy. What we saw this week, however, was wackos on parade.

I am frustrated that those participating in the tea parties are being mocked for "not wanting to pay taxes like everyone else" - hello, it is not about the taxes themselves, but that the money is being spent by the government in an irresponsable way and supporting things that many of us dont agree with, such as abortion.

And since when is protesting a bad thing? Usually the media loves it when a group protests agaisnt the government! havent they heard of freedom of speech?

Also, remember what the Boston Tea Party was about? Being taxed unfairly to pay for things they didnt agree with (things happening in England)... sounds familiar...

Hal, 11:44am

Of course I'm right. I am concerned Obama is a socialist. The government is taking over business. Haven't you heard of Obama Motors, formerly known as General Motors? The government is in the business of providing "stimulus" jobs. That's what American businesses should be doing.
Now we're getting these laughable warnings about right wing terrorism. What an insult to our veterans. What about Islamic terrorism? Oh excuse me, manmade disasters.

Open your eyes Hal and look past that gleaming smile.

Hal 11:44am,

What you saw is what Obama's lapdogs, which passed as our MSM, wanted you to see.
Remember, these are guys who blubber over awestruck seagulls and get let tingles.

Mary, Hal's right it isn't socialism. It's fascism. Does anyone even remember what economic fascism is? It's not just an insult, guys. Fascist goverments control industry, just like Obama is now doing. Of course, Stimulus 1 got the ball rolling, so it's not like he's the only one.

Saying that Bush is the spawn of Satan and Hitler is just stupid. Saying that Obama supports a fascist economic policy is an accurate examination of his beliefs.

Lauren,

Good point. Thank you. I've often heard communists, admirers of communist dictators and left wingers condemn fascism when in fact there is little difference between the two.
Its all about gov't control and consolidation of power.

Didn't Lenin refer to those who admired communism from afar (wealthy liberals) or who would be the left-wingers of today and our MSM: "useful idiots"?

Eileen #2

I have certainly heard this term applied as you describe though I'm not certain exactly who first used it. I looked it up and it said it was the attitude of the Soviet gov't toward western sympathizers of communism. Like some of our Hollywood hobnobs who kiss the backsides of dictators such as Chavez and Castro.

"Useful idiots" would certainly apply to the Congressional Black Caucus who recently visited Castro and returned to sing his praises. I wonder if they visited any of his prisons. One congresswoman said Castro's citizens are better off than some of her constituents. Uh, congresswoman, that doesn't say much for you does it? Like we were saying, "idiots".

I wonder if these good folks know that Cuba is run by white Cubans, while the racially mixed and black Cubans work the sugarcane fields and struggle to survive.
Kind of makes one think of a Southern plantation.

Also, remember what the Boston Tea Party was about? Being taxed unfairly to pay for things they didnt agree with (things happening in England)

Not quite, AB. We colonists were upset about taxation without representation. We had no vote in the British parliament, which taxed us, as you put it, to pay for things happening in England.

By contrast, the income tax that we pay today, and which the teabaggers pretend to be so upset about, is imposed on us by a government of, by and for us. Those are our elected representatives in Washington, not some tyrannical dictator. If you don't like what they are doing, tell them so. But don't be surprised if you aren't in the majority, or if what you want would violate the constitutional rights of others.

I'd also like to point out that I have heard some of you right-wingers call Obama a socialist, and others of you call him a fascist. He can't be both, so which is it?

And finally, for the less-informed, the act known as teabagging is no more homosexual in nature than is fellatio. Where did all these gay references come from, and what does Anderson Cooper have to do with it? We in the know have been snickering about this for weeks, long before the MSM picked up on it.

Hal: "Like I said, there's nothing wrong with a disagreement (or even a demonstration) over fiscal policy. What we saw this week, however, was wackos on parade."

Get off it Hal. Regardless of what you personally believe, the media is meant to remain unbiased. As it is, CNN and MSNBC have not only openly criticized the demonstrations, but made explicitly sexual references to them. This is childish. Do you really support a media that does this? I for one do not. I used to read CNN and watch CNN for balance about 10 times a day. Not anymore.

Id also like to point out that Obama did raise taxes on the poor. He raised the cigarette tax an insane amount. One form of tax he raised 2400 percent. We all know that the poor are disporportionately smokers, and even if not, they ARE smokers and are thus affected by this adversely. Much more than 400 dollars spread out over 12 months could ever cover.

Besides, the protests are aimed primarily at the waste and negligence of the government. Notice that, according to recent polls, most people neither approve of congress or where our country is heading.

The bottom line still stands, the media is meant to not be biased, let alone be vulgar and childish is presenting that bias.

The budget deficit is due to irresponsible gov't spending, worsened by Obama,

Mary, for eight years your man Bush spent record amounts of money and ran up record deficits. To console themselves, Republicans invented a new mantra: "Deficits don't matter." So now that we are on the verge of a Great Depression style depression, and the only thing that can possibly prevent it is massive government spending to replace demand not being created by the private sector, all of a sudden deficits matter again?

Yes, deficits matter, but they are not anywhere nearly as bad as the massive unemployment and economic collapse that would result from the Hooverism being advocated by Republicans.

Look up the definition of "ad hominem" Ray. Might help you out a bit.

Ray,

You need to get a few of your facts straight as well.

The massive and irresponsible gov't spending that is being protested was imposed upon us by legislators, mostly Democrat with 3 RINOs, who never even read the entire bill. It was also signed by a president who never read the entire bill.
Rather than do anything to decrease the debt our fearless leader has only made the situation worse. George Bush's actions, which I did not approve of and in whom I was very disappointed, does not excuse anything Obama does.

BTW Ray, FDR only prolonged the Depression with his massive gov't programs. The Second World War ended it. FDR was good at making people think he was doing something, when in fact he wasn't. I suppose putting all those American citizens in concentration camps helped create more employment as well.

Also, look up the terms socialism and fascism. Both involve gov't control of industry and the economy. The line between the two can be blurred as some world dictators who call themselves socialist are also practicing fascism.

I don't give a rat's patoot about teabagging or what it means. It was those pea-brained, giggling, MSM Obama lapdogs that were acting like schoolchildren saying naughty words who raised the subject. That's where the gay references came from.

Hi Oliver,

Haven't you learned yet that Big Brother knows what's best for the poor? That is why cigarettes are being so outrageously taxed. Also, the building of fast food restaurants was banned in a low income section of LA because the Democrat legislator decided the people were too heavy and of course need BB to guide them concerning food choices. Never mind that poor people can travel elsewhere if they want fast food bad enough, or that these restaurants generate employment for local adults and youths. Nooooo. Poor people just don't know how to make the proper decisions.

How long before the food police are at a restaurant near you??

Mary, I am sorry to hear that you believe the Republican kool-aid about Roosevelt prolonging the depression. Economists know better. It is documentable that conditions improved steadily throughout the thirties in response to his spending programs, and only got worse again in 1938, after Roosevelt cut deficits in response to Republican pressure.

As for socialism and fascism, they differ on a couple of key points: socialism "advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole," while fascism is a totalitarianism combined with nationalism and intolerance, but industry is left in the hands of individuals or corporations. Combine the two, and you have something new and different, but not really socialism or fascism any more.

Ray,

Au contraire, I'm sorry you swallowed the Democrat kool-aid about FDR ending the Depression. Sorry my friend, it was WW2.
"I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started...And an enormous debt to boot!
Nancy Pelosi denouncing Bush? Nope. Henry Morganthau Jr. FDR's close friend, lunch companion, and loyal secretary of the treasury.
Average unemployment for the year 1939 was higher than in 1931, the year before FDR took office.
Hey, ya suppose putting all those American citizens in concentration camps after Pearl Harbor helped open up more jobs?

NAZI was an acronym for national socialist in Germany. Hitler was a socialist. He was also a fascist. Ever hear of the Union of Soviet SOCIALIST, not communist republics? You think there was private control of industry here.
Ever hear of General Motors? Its now Government Motors. As I said Ray, the line between socialism and fascism can be very blurred.

Eileen #2, I wanted to let you know that I responded to you in this thread: http://www.jillstanek.com/archives/2009/04/throwing_in_the.html

I'm not telling you because I expect you to say anything else, but just because I didn't want you to miss it when it fell off the page. You really stopped me in my tracks when you said that because usually I think that I WAS blessed -- blessed enough to completely forget how hard it was at the time. I don't think about it too much and we don't really talk about it too much, so your comment took me by surprise and really made me remember how lucky I am. Thanks. :)

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=224275&title=Nationwide-Tax-Protests

SO FUNNY

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=224276&title=Tea-Party-Tyranny

Also, very funny.

Great. Left-wing D-bags making jokes about T-bags. I wonder if they started thinking, "Hey, this is getting old," after mentioning it the 91st time.

-- Then you have those such as Janeane Garofalo, who patiently explained that every single person who attended a Tea Party event is a racist:

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/04/16/garofalo-tea-partiers-are-all-racists-who-hate-black-president

As low as the bar of expectation was for her, she somehow managed to do the limbo right under it.

Ray I'm not sure you understand how a fascist government views industry. Fascists governments tend to take over private industry and support nationalization.

bmmg39,

I would challenge her to find one racist quote on any sign at the tea parties. This whining about racism is getting old. In case the folks on the left haven't noticed, THEY have been the ones making an issue of Obama's race from day one.
And they call us racist??

Your welcome, Alexandra :)
You are right -- the blessings work both ways!
I know that you weren't looking for any adulation by relating that episode of your life but I just wanted to say something about it. If only most people had enough love to do the same kind of thing -- the world would be a much different place.

"Not content to dismiss and misreport about us, MSM is now mocking us."

Well, let's be fair here. A bunch of sore losers congregating together at "tea parties" for the purposes of protesting whatever the hell it is they're supposedly protesting really opens up a lot of opportunities for mockery.

Devo,

Its the responsibility of the media to objectively report news, not give us their commentary on it. Sadly we have a mainstream media that is little more than a lapdog of Obama. They are not the government watchdogs our Founding Fathers intended them to be.
These were American citizens protesting irresponsible spending and who think we have been taxed to the max. Hardly sore losers.

Due to its unfortunate failure to research the term "teabag", in spite of having many experts on staff, Faux Noise has announced that its next sponsored and promoted "grassroots" protest will feature rubber chickens, which can be obtained at any pet store, and have no known sexual connotation. The protestors are directed to shake the rubber chickens on cue and shout "more tax cuts for the wealthy" Faux will have 500 commercials promoting the spontaneous event.

Bystander,

I always thought the left supported and promoted protest. Or does that depend on who's ox is being gored? Also, it was the Obama lapdog MSM that was making an issue of teabagging to begin with.

Since its the wealthy that generate jobs and employment why do you want to see them taxed heavily, thus motivating them to outsource and build in countries overseas where their business is welcomed, not taxed, and its citizens benefit immensely from employment by these companies?

I'm also curious Bystander. Does the left have a problem wealthy liberals and Democrats? You know, like the Hollywood hobnobs, the Kennedys, Madame Pelosi, Sen John David Rockefeller IV?

Mary,the Faux Noise "protest" was a joke, as was my post, though I expect Faux's next sponsored "protest" will be as absurd as I suggest.

nBystander, no one who attended the tea parties called themeselves "teabaggers" that was all the leftist media.

Also, I love how no liberal here is making any sort ot attempt to understand what was being protested, despite the fact that it has been explained over and over again. They perfer to just throw up stupid, childish strawmen.

Pathetic.

Bystander,

On what do you base this assumption? I thought you folks on the left were great promoters and supporters of protest. Joke(no, I did not take you comment about rubber chickens seriously) or not you have the same tired talking points of the left and it was those I was commenting on.

Yes, I understand what was being protested. Sean Hannity pays a lot of taxes on his $20 million annual salary as does Rush on his $50 million, and those taxes are scheduled to go up by 3% when the Bush tax cuts on the ultra wealthy expire.

Makes me want to take to the streets with my tea..., oops, with my rubber chicken!

No, Bystander you don't understand.

A socialist govt? Americans over taxed? This is what people are laughing about, not the idea of protesting.

Bystander,

How much tax do you suppose the liberal Democrat Hollywood Hobnobs pay on their millions? How about the Kennedys?
Madame Pelosi? Sen.Rockefeller?
Certainly you folks on the left have serious issues with these multi millionaire liberal Democrats!

Bystander, do you have any idea how much employment the wealthy generate?

This is great.

We're kooks, racists, loonies, and fill-in-the-blanks. Lovin' it.

Latest stats from PJTV, the major internet channel covering and coordinating the April 15 event: over 500,000 citizens from all 50 states exercising their First Amendment rights.

No demagoguery. No billionaire funding. No professional rabble rousers involved. An overwhelming amount of unique, original signs. So many folks attending a political rally for the very first time.

We had a food and personal hygiene item drive for a local homeless outreach during the event. We brought two bins to collect the donations thinking that would have been enough. At the end of the rally, we had a MOUNTAIN of stuff to deliver to the homeless shelter. Awesome.

I've watched a number of Tea Party videos from all over, and I was proud to witness smiling, polite, and hope-filled Americans.

I can attest to the same in Orlando. Were there a few signs over the top? Sure. But the vast majority were there to have their voices heard when it seems like the folks in Washington, both R and D, would rather just sign off on documents without having so much as read it.

As one of the organizers of this past tea party in Orlando, I can assure you that there's more Tea Parties to come. As a result of April 15, the main Florida Tea Party coordinator has secured a new radio show on our local am radio outlet dedicated to keeping the momentum going. We're going to notify all the folks who signed in at our rally about upcoming constitution classes. And we'll update them on upcoming Tea Parties.

So Garafalo, Olbermann, Maddow, New York Times, and all the others can mock all they want. What this event has proven is that we don't need them.

They don't matter anymore.

Real counts on the "protest" from reliable sources- about 100,000 across the country. To put that in perspective, 100 times as many people, 10 million, watch "the Biggest Loser" (not sure if that refers to the contestants or the viewers) each week. That show features the morbidly obese sweating as they exercise.

My plan- put the morbidly obese Rush Limbaugh on a treadmill and at least 10 million will participate in the protest. Heck, probably 20 million will watch to see if he keels over.....

Name your reliable sources.

PJTV, TaxDayTeaParty.com, and AFA.com are three sites that I know of that had the parties registered for several weeks prior to the event. Registered, as in state the time, location, contact email, facebook page if applicable, and proof of permits if applicable.

PJTV held conference calls twice a week with all of the state coordinators. I know because I've been on them. A week ago, Florida was behind Texas and California.

April 14 there were over 800 parties registered. They had over 500 citizen reporters sign on to their CR program. HuffPo? About 200, give or take.

PJTV just released their numbers based on the coordinators' reports.

Considering that it was in the middle of a work week, many of them scheduled during business hours, the turnout was wonderfully more than expected.

All this in spite of MSM's lack of promotion and coverage. No Axelrod behind our outfit.
THAT's what's encouraging to me.

bystander-

Fox News' next "grassroots" protest will focus on illegal aliens. They will call it a "Dirty Sanchez March."

Pajamas TV? No more reliable source than that!

Obviously the promoters are the only unbiased source of a crowd count.

Didn't Pajamas also reported that McCain won the election, by PJTV's own unique way of counting?

So let me get this straight, Bystander. If Fox News reports, these aren't grassroots protests. If the grassroots organizers report, they're not reliable sources.

Gotcha.

Carder -- excellent!

Bystander and Gee -- typical responses -- arrogance,cheap shots and nastiness.

Hi Carder,

All this snivelling by the left about "racism" is getting old. It also a tiresome tactic and one they fall back on when all else fails. THEY are the ones who from day one have made an issue of the fact Obama is black.

Bystander 12;05pm

Get your facts straight, Limbaugh's not morbidly obese. Also he's presently on a diet and steadily losing weight.
Too bad I can't say the same for your liberal icon Michael Moore.

Gee Mary, sorry to disrespect your hero. When Rush becomes svelte, will his rear end no longer have its own zip code?

Gently, Bystander:

Name your reliable resources.

Bystander,

Tsk Tsk, such intolerance. Do you usually ridicule the obese Bystander?

Correction: "sources"

Bystander: "Gee Mary, sorry to disrespect your hero. When Rush becomes svelte, will his rear end no longer have its own zip code?"

Seriously: is this all you got? Jokes about the size of someone else's arse? Is that what you're reduced to doing when you can't come back with facts?

If this is your "A" game, one can see how you regularly embarrass yourself here.

Not that it would make a differene, but if you wanted to debate who's behind all this, what the focus of the Tea Parties are, what are its effects of lack thereof, I'd be happy to engage.

Just sayin'.

Seriously the marketing gurus at Fox News for this event must be some of the most stupid people known to man. Anyone who reads Savage Love knows what tea-bagging is. Most intelligent PR people take the time to run a name through google before choosing it as a product or event name. Then again, given the way the McCain Presidency was sold to the American people, republicans aren't the greatest brand-managers.

re: Mary at April 17, 2009 8:03

Contrary to what you might think, the term MSM does not mean Main-stream media...for a lot of people it means "Men who have Sex with Men". So here again the joke is on you.

YLT 2:42 and 2:44PM

You are being funny, right?

For the 100th time. We do not call ourselves "teabaggers."

The name was hoisted on us by the Anderson Cooper.

"Anyone who reads Savage Love knows what tea-bagging is."

And you're an authority, no doubt.

"Most intelligent PR people take the time to run a name through google before choosing it as a product or event name."

There's nothing wrong with the name "Tea Party." (What about everyone who drinks tea in this country? What about the Brits?) The "teabagging" reference may or may not have been funny the first time. Even if you're lucky with that phrase, your luck will decrease after using the phrase more than a hundred times.

Hey guys, watch those 2 Daily Show clips. I think you will get a chuckle at them.

Pip, I just watched. That was pretty funny. Though it is a little scary to think that MSNBC pretends to be a hard news station...

As I read Jill's posts, I am increasingly aware of the similarities between her views and those of the Taliban.
It's really quite frightening.
This website should be mandatory reading for all citizens. People need to know that religious extremism doesn't just grow in mountain caves or deserts. It can rear it's ugly head in the heart of a modern, industrialized nation like ours.
Thank you Jill for shining a light into the dark corners of the American Taliban !

Posted by: Ethel at April 18, 2009 5:44 PM

Thank you Jill for shining a light into the dark corners of the American Taliban !

----------------------------------------------------

Ethel,

Perhaps you would do us the honor of enumerating the similarities between Ms Jill's views and the Taliban.

Please inform us of the Taliban views first.

We know less about them than we do Jill.

[Jill, please do not don the suicide vest just yet. We will need you to confirm your views as soon as Ethel has educated us as to what the Taliban views are.]

Go ahead Ethel.

We are all waiting.

Jill has a time sensitive appointment on a crowded school bus.

yor bro ken

Ethel, what exactly about Jill's post point to her being a part of the so called American Taliban? How are her views similiar to those of the Taliban in general.

Please give specific examples.

ylt,

How did you come to be such an knowledgeable expert on marketing and practices of male homosexuals?

Is there some connection between the two?

yor bro ken

One of the things I most admire about Jill is that she has much higher troll tolerance levels than I have.

Can someone explain why the taxes on the top percentages are bringing up such protest now? Are they not at the same levels they were at under Clinton, and lower than under Reagan?

I'm honestly curious. I understand people having a problem with how tax money is being spent, but I'm having a hard time understanding people being upset with the taxes in general right now.

Alexandra, it's not just about the taxes. It's also about the massive government spending and nationalization of banks and industry.

What the media doesn't seem to get is that we aren't just mad at Obama. We were screaming when Bush rolled out TARP.

Basically, we're angry that the government is taking and spending with no input from us. Congress didn't even read the stimulus bills!

We also believe that raising taxes is the worst thing that can be done in this economy and are upset about hidden tax hikes like Cap and Trade and cigarette taxes.

What the media doesn't seem to get is that we aren't just mad at Obama. We were screaming when Bush rolled out TARP.

Yes, it's politicians on both sides of the aisle. Some of us are also experiencing an increase in state and local taxes.

Thanks, Lauren. So it's more about what the tax money is going to, than the taxes themselves? That makes more sense.

Fed Up,
Agreed. I have close to zero troll tolerance. :)

Now a new king arose over Egypt who did not know Joseph [or Joseph's GOD].

He said to his people, Behold, the Israelites are too many and too mighty for us [and they outnumber us both in people and in strength].

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply more and, should war befall us, they join our enemies, fight against us, and escape out of the land.

So they set over [the Israelites] taskmasters to afflict and oppress them with [increased] burdens. And [the Israelites] built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

But the more [the Egyptians] oppressed them, the more they multiplied and expanded, so that [the Egyptians] were vexed and alarmed because of the Israelites.

And the Egyptians reduced the Israelites to severe slavery.

They made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar, brick, and all kinds of work in the field. All their service was with harshness and severity.

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, of whom one was named Shiprah and the other Puah,

When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him; but if it is a daughter, she shall live.

But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded, but let the male babies live.

So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them, Why have you done this thing and allowed the male children to live?

The midwives answered Pharaoh, Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; they are vigorous and quickly delivered; their babies are born before the midwife comes to them.

So God dealt well with the midwives and the people multiplied and became very strong.

And because the midwives revered and feared God, He made them households [of their own].

Then Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son born [to the Hebrews] you shall cast into the river [Nile], but every daughter you shall allow to live.

The elected leader of our country has summoned forth a new spirit. A spirit you have not known. This spirit could not have answered the call if the elected leader were not authorized to issue the invitation.

We are entering a long, long, dark night. But do not look back, longing for the familiar light of the 'good ole days' or you will not survive to see the dawning rays of the new day.

There are a whole new set of realities with which to deal. Yesterdays manna will not be sufficient for today. Pay attention to what is springing forthe in your midst. Truth has not changed, but the present reality has. If you rely on your own understanding, you will perish on the way. If seek the Truth, the light of HIS living WORD will guide your path. If you resort to the strategies and tactics of the past, you will only know defeat and death.

Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves.

As I read Jill's posts, I am increasingly aware of the similarities between her views and those of the Taliban.
It's really quite frightening.
This website should be mandatory reading for all citizens. People need to know that religious extremism doesn't just grow in mountain caves or deserts. It can rear it's ugly head in the heart of a modern, industrialized nation like ours.
Thank you Jill for shining a light into the dark corners of the American Taliban !
Posted by: Ethel at April 18, 2009 5:44 PM

it's very easy to come on a blog and spew this kind of hatred and then just leave.
you have absolutely NO idea about what you are talking about.
If you lived under the Taliban sweety, you wouldn't even have access to a computer.
oh and btw "Ethel", if you had more than one lover in your lifetime, you'd already be dead from stoning.

Angel,
I'm sorry that you confuse my views with spewed hatred. As a Christian, I can assure you that I harbor no hatred in my heart for Jill, or anyone who contributes to this site.
The rest of your post nicely proves my whole point about the "American Taliban". Like them, you want to restrict my children's access to the wonders of science. And don't even mention love. You folks claim the right to tell the rest of us who we can love.
As I said, the similarities are stark.

Ethel, what similarities? Please explain *exactly* how Jill is similar to the Taliban.
You're just saying vauge things that mean nothing.

Saying that Jill wants to restrict your children's access to love says NOTHING. What does that mean? In what specific way is Jill trying to restrict your children's access to love, and how does that relate to the Taliban?

I know it's hard to be specific when you don't have a leg to stand on, but try.

Posted by: Ethel at April 19, 2009 9:34 AM

"As a Christian,

I can assure you that I harbor no hatred in my heart for Jill, or anyone who contributes to this site."

"You folks claim the right to tell the rest of us who we can love."

---------------------------------------------------

Ethel,

'As a christian', you ought to know better than to bring an accusation against anyone, particularly a fellow member of the body of Christ, without providing evidence that is verifiable by at least two witnesses.

To bring a false charge is 'slander'. It is specifically prohibited in the ten commandments:
Do falsey accuse your neighbor.

Find me any place on this site where anyone has advocated a law that would prohibit you or anyone else from 'loving' whomever they choose.

It would be helpful if you first give 'your' definition of 'love'.

yor bro ken

The rest of your post nicely proves my whole point about the "American Taliban". Like them, you want to restrict my children's access to the wonders of science. And don't even mention love. You folks claim the right to tell the rest of us who we can love.
As I said, the similarities are stark.
Posted by: Ethel at April 19, 2009 9:34 AM

say what?

My point was that you know NOTHING about what living under the Taliban is like. You are equating Jill with being Taliban.
And yes you are quite right that extremism doesn't grow in caves. In America it grows in the liberal-thinking universities and in the nations new rooms - right out in the very open.
You've done nothing to explain your position. A common liberal trait is to spew forth a stupid claim and never back it up. Answer Lauren's question and we might try to understand you.

Ethel: "Like them, you want to restrict my children's access to the wonders of science."

What science is that? The science that explains that human embryos are human beings, or the scientists who question the dogma that human activity causes climate change?

e: Mary at April 17, 2009 8:03

Contrary to what you might think, the term MSM does not mean Main-stream media...for a lot of people it means "Men who have Sex with Men". So here again the joke is on you.

Posted by: Yo La Tengo at April 18, 2009 2:44 PM

YLT 2:42 and 2:44PM

You are being funny, right?

Posted by: Mary at April 18, 2009 2:48 PM

Actually no... read the personal ads, read craigslist.. It's pretty common knowledge. but if you or Jill want to continue making a fool out of yourself with this acronym, you're more than welcome to it. It just reenforces the perception of Jill and her ilk as being laughably out of touch.

re: : kbhvac at April 18, 2009 8:01 PM

Your attempt at homophobic slander just increases the perception that you are insecure about your manhood. You might want to tamp it down a bit, its kinda sad, but no one pities you - they just laugh.

Au contraire, I'm sorry you swallowed the Democrat kool-aid about FDR ending the Depression. Sorry my friend, it was WW2.

I said nothing of the kind, Mary. What I DID say is that things improved. By that I mean that GDP grew, and unemployment declined throughout the thirties, until Roosevelt cut spending in 1937-8 under pressure from Republicans and fiscal conservatives. As a result, GDP fell and unemployment rose, because private sector demand and consumption had not yet recovered to pick up the slack. Given that inconvenient fact, Morgenthaler's comment was a bit self-serving.

Of course the depression ended with WWII, but don't forget it wasn't the war itself, but rather the resulting massive government borrowing and spending, on a scale that dwarfed what Roosevelt had done previously, that put all those people to work.

Here is one of many articles that shred your neo-con talking point that Hitler was a socialist:
http://www.huppi.com/kangaroo/L-hitler.htm

Finally, in regards to our current situation, there is a world of difference between nationalization and collectivization of industry, and government demanding some control over corporations which have come to it begging for bailout money.

Comparing Jill to the Taliban...amazing. LOL

I love when liberals like to display their ignorance like this.

Why is it that liberals love to accuse without even backing up one thing they ever say?

Hey, Ethel is IN the Taliban! Ethel is actually Osama Bin Laden! That was easy. Maybe we should learn from Ethel. Let's just accuse for the heck of it. It doesn't matter if we're right- it just matters that we portray the side we disagree in with the nastiest light possible.

Actually no... read the personal ads, read craigslist.. It's pretty common knowledge. but if you or Jill want to continue making a fool out of yourself with this acronym, you're more than welcome to it. It just reenforces the perception of Jill and her ilk as being laughably out of touch.

Yo La Tengo, wow now THERE are some worthy sources.

Hey, did you know that Obama isn't really a name? It's an acronym for "Our Biggest American Mistake Awaits"? You know how I know? There's ads on Craigslist and personal ads that mention it!

Oh and YLT, you're laughably out of touch, because you didn't know that!

I can assure you that I harbor no hatred in my heart for Jill, or anyone who contributes to this site."

La-HI-Ar.

Actually, if it is ok for Jill to send her readers to The Urban Dictionary for definitions, then look up MSM as well while you're there.

In most people's worlds it does mean Males Seeking Males, and it is commonly used in personals ads all over the world.

Hardehar! Thanks for putting a lid on that Duh.

You small ultra conservative minority are going to have to stop calling everyone else Liberal. It loses it's meaning.

If you could get your mind out of the gutter every once in a while, you might be happier people.

The only reason Jill used the urban dictionary was to explain a term that YOU people used, since it's not even a real word anyway.

You guys can't even find one rational way to argue with the people forming tea parties, so you have to come up with something totally stupid and irrelevant to come back with.

It's pathetic. That's all you've got, so I feel sorry for you guys.

oh come on. It's just kind of funny. Silly but funny. It doesn't make everyone look pathetic

Maybe a passing remark would have been funny to someone, but you guys seem to have an obsession with the term and feel that using it over and over is still funny. It's just not. It's sad. Ever heard someone tell a joke that's been told a hundred times? It's boring.

Doing things like this makes you seem like you don't have any mature or rational arguments left.

Plus, it makes your news sources look like the National Enquirer. Even Jon Stewart joked about how they're trying to take his job.

Mary, I am sorry to hear that you believe the Republican kool-aid about Roosevelt prolonging the depression. Economists know better.

Posted by: Ray at April 17, 2009 5:08 PM

That is so funny! "Economists know better." Did you learn anything in U.S. History? Only WWII pulled us out. Thank God FDR had enough sense to protect us after Pearl Harbor.

If you could get your mind out of the gutter every once in a while, you might be happier people.
Posted by: Bethany at April 20, 2009 8:42 AM

I'm very happy,even with my mind in the gutter now and then.

Hal, is that really the best argument against the tea parties your side can come up with?

is that really the best argument against the tea parties your side can come up with?

Hi Bethany. It seems that Obama's side had enough arguments against tea parties to have the FBI monitor them.

http://www.americasright.com/2009/04/this-is-2009-not-1984.html

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2009/04/fbi-spied-on-tea-parties.html

We're terrifying individuals, Fed up. We represent freedom and justice, and that just can't be tolerated in Obamerica.

re: Bethany at April 20, 2009 8:47 AM

Your post is ironic especially given your post at April 20, 2009 7:22 AM which amounts to nothing more than "I'm rubber, you're glue" The level of discourse amongst fringe conservatives is what is making the movement thankfully ineffective. If you cannot communicate with integrity either in forum such as this or in your wider communication you will never have a chance to be heard because people will be laughing too hard. The constant use of MSM is just one example. But if you don't want to take the hint, thats okay, I'll just keep laughing.

It was "satire" YLT. Did you think my post at 7:22 was serious? If you're laughing, you're only laughing at yourself, and your own failed logic.

And it seems that one of my posts was just gone.

I think my post above the 7:22 post got deleted because I accidentally posted it as anonymous. I went in and fixed it, so if you were confused by my 7:22 post, go up there and read the one above it and maybe it will make more sense now.

Hey, YLT, before you start throwing out words like "integrity", you might want to understand what the word means first. (Hint: HONESTY)

"integrity" is not changing the meaning of what people mean when they say things. When we say "MSM", you're well aware that we're not saying "men seeking men", and you're well aware of what the term stands for to us. However, because you lack integrity, you act as though it is something other than it's intended. A person with integrity would not do this.

Integrity is not calling a tea party "teabagging" simply because it means something dirty and it makes you laugh.

Sorry, YLT...you and other liberals who have done the above have no business preaching about integrity. If you want to get people laughing, that's certainly the way to make it happen!

When we say "MSM", you're well aware that we're not saying "men seeking men", and you're well aware of what the term stands for to us.

Your speaking in malapropisms nothing to do with my integrity or honesty and everything with the anti-choice movement's lack of ability to communicate effectivly.

My comment is the rhetorical equivalent of pulling a stranger aside and reminding them that they forgot to wear a shirt on a cold day. It's fine if you don't want to put a layer on, but to the rest of us it will just be more evidence that the emperor has no clothes.

re:Bethany at April 20, 2009 5:40 PM

Sometimes with you its hard to tell when the (self)satire ends and the thoughts begin. The preponderance of the first makes evidence of the second questionable.

Hal, is that really the best argument against the tea parties your side can come up with?
Posted by: Bethany at April 20, 2009 11:19 AM

My argument against the tea parties was
Posted by: Hal at April 17, 2009 11:10 AM

I have no problem with protests, demonstrations, or harsh criticism. These are protests without a cause, for the most part. People getting tax breaks complaining about high taxes. People complaining about "socialism" and "fascism," although their lives have not changed one bit as a result of the new administration. If you were in a bubble the last 12 months and we took you out today, what would you see that is different about your life as a result of Obama?

Hal, these were not protests without cause. You are intelligent enough to understand that.

It's dishonest to say that lives haven't changed under Obama. Prolifers now fund abortions against their will. May be no big deal to you, but it is to some. Health care workers are facing the inability to enforce their religious liberty and conscience rights. No big deal to you maybe, but it is to some. The socialization of health care is prompting many to alter their career paths. Again, may not be a big deal to you, but it is to others. Most obots I know celebrate these changes instead of denying that they're taking place.

Well said, Fed up.

Your speaking in malapropisms nothing to do with my integrity or honesty and everything with the anti-choice movement's lack of ability to communicate effectivly.

YLT, hard to imagine that you didn't read the sarcasm in my 7:21 post, which was oozing with it.

re: Bethany at April 20, 2009 9:27 PM

Now you're being pendantic. The joke is on you, and you just keep walking into it.

YLT, if that makes you feel better, I'm fine with that.