Tax Day Tea Stunts?
You have undoubtedly heard about the numerous April 15th “Tax Day Tea Parties” being held across the country today. Many of them are being organzed and promoted by radio talk show hosts.
Do these “Tea Parties” make legitimate points? Or, are they just silly, self-serving stunts being pushed by publicity-seeking radio hosts?
Here’s one take from the noted radio observer Tom Taylor, from his daily Taylor on Radio-Info e-newsletter:
Tax day = Stunt day?
California Republican lawmaker says “Tea parties” are radio stunts that don’t solve real problems.
Today may be “tax day”, April 15, but State Senator Abe Maldonado looks at the kind of headline-grabbing stunts being egged on by KFI, L.A.’s John & Ken and says “It’s crazy. While my state melts and burns, these folks are making money selling ads. All they care about is money in their pocket.” The KFI (640) duo’s latest effort is to agitate for the recall of one of the six GOP state legislators who voted to pass the current state budget. Maldonado says (in a column by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Carla Marinucci) that elected-official recalls “are just games to these people”, but they cost the taxpayers money and time. He says John & Ken – who no doubt revel in the attention – “are in it for the ratings, not for the people of California. I’m sure they live well, and the people of California have to pay.” Maldonado says “The Republican Party needs to be working on creating more jobs and improving the economy” – and one of his proposals is to allow open primaries. He says that idea will be hated by “the radio guys and the web guys…they can’t win elected office. They’re wannabe elected officials who can’t make it.” Of course John & Ken aren’t the only radio wiseguys convening “tea parties” today.
April 15th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
You are way the mark.
The thousands that are protesting TAXATION W/O REPRESENTATION.
The america people do not want the bail outs. Your trying to down play the real feeling of the people.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Patricia,
Thank you for responding…but you’re reading waaay too much into my post.
I just posted an article from a radio newsletter.
I must say, though, that your whole premise of TAXATION W/O REPRESENTATION (caps yours) is pretty silly. No representation? The Congress and the President? What do you mean “no representation?” If you don’t like ‘em, vote ‘em out.
Oh, and were there really “thousands?” Yeah, I guess there were a few thousand…scattered across a country of more than 300,000,000!
The talk hosts got their day of face time. And, now, we move on.
It’s sunny, and the Yankees are home. Relax.
We may just have to agree to disagree. But, thank you again for your response - much appreciated!
Steve