American Morning
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Here’s your daily recap of the best feedback we got from YOU today. Continue the conversation below. And remember, keep it brief, and keep it clean. Thanks!
On Tax Day 2009, American Morning viewers offered various opinions on the “Tea Parties” being held throughout the country.
- Bill: Please report on the organizers of the "tea parties". If these are the same people who stood silent or cheered while Pres. Bush borrowed and spent us into bad trouble, please point out their intellectual dishonesty
- Mary: The "tea parties" are not a Republican outrage, This is a "grassroots movement" of many kinds of people who are totally fedup with the trash that radical Washington is "dishing out"! It is evident that CNN is "in the tank" for Obama, yesterday, today and tomorrow, but this time people are not going to believe your false reporting on these "tea parties"! I hope that this event gets the message to the baffoons in the White House!!!! We, the people have had it, UP TO OUR EYBALLS!!! We are not going to take it ANYMORE!!! And the Obama Administration think they are going to stop these "tea parties" with more lies on the media? And they call us "radical right", because we are trying to stop corruption? Give me a break – no socialism, no markism, no communism in AMERICA!!!
- Wendy: I noticed that CNN branding "Tea Parties" as a republican project. I'm a Dem and attending today. This is about "Too Big Govt". I was very critical of Pres Bush in the same manner. I' enjoy CNN but seems you now always put every debate in Dems v Repub context. The world is not that simple
- JR: I'm wondering if there are any actions being taken to stop these tea parties from polluting American waterways. I'm concerned about the impact dumping large quantities of tea in the waterways will have on the ecosystem.
How do you feel about the first viewer’s (Bill’s) statement, wondering if the “Tea Party” protestors are the same ones who gave President G.W. Bush carte blanche to “spend us into bad trouble”? Are the “Tea Parties” just the Republican Party’s attempt to rebuild its party or is this truly a “grass roots” movement meant to protest “big government,” as the two center viewers’ (Mary and Wendy) remark? And what about the environmental concerns the last viewer (JR) expresses? Let us know what you think. Did you participate in any “tea parties” today? Share your experiences with us.
The drug debate continued with Senator Ron Paul supporting marijuana legalization. Opinions diverged, as those in favor supported the idea of increased tax revenues, while those opposed cited addiction and “gateway” drugs as their reasons to keep it illegal.
- Tom: Could not agree with Mr Paul more regarding decriminalizing marijuana, even legalization if necessary. The former DEA agent's argument is sophistry as illicit drugs are ALREADY EXCEEDINGLY easy to get and is done now in a dirty underworld. I will take any future endorsement for president from Ron Paul very seriously and in fact wish he would run again.
- Craig: Ron Paul is so far out on left field it is scary. He does not know what it is like to be an addict or have a son who is one. Legalizing drugs does not solve the problem of getting our children at an early age to recognize how bad drugs are for them. My son is 31 and has spent 11 years dealing with pot and cocaine and it has nearly ruined his life. Had it not been for a caring family he would have been in jail, would not have gotten thru most of college to be a chef, which he still has not been able to accomplish due to drugs, He loses jobs he likes and employers that like him because of his cocaine and pot. Anyone who thinks this stuff is good for you, is nuts. Drug dealers at any level need to be harshly dealt with and Americans as a whole must start taking this country and their youth back from the drug dealers of this country and not look the other way as it is something they can't help with. Pot for many of these kids is an entry drug to Cocaine and heroin which are addictions that don't go away and which come back and drive you crazy that you have to give in and then you risk or lose all that you have gained back from the last fall. It amazes me that our advertising and music and technology industry can influence kids to buy this and wear this but we cannot get them and others to influence our youth of why drugs are bad for them. Also, treating those on drugs no different than anyone else that has a health problem.
Where do you stand on the idea of “gateway” drugs? Do they really exist, as the second viewer states, or is a natural drug like marijuana simply an “herb” to be used for medicinal and recreational purposes? Do you believe rehabilitation and recovery should be emphasized rather than allowing for legalization? Give us your opinion.
Finally, viewers took issue with “pork” spending being characterized negatively by CNN. Those writing in felt that such projects provided all citizens with benefits and should be reviewed accordingly.
- Jason: Please stop characterizing the way that Congress funds vital infrastructure projects as "pork". Building things like the DC metro, NY subway system, National Highway system, require earmarked funding. Have you read the studies that were done by DOT to determine whether or not the so called road to nowhere is necessary or not? I get sick of the media just nitpicking every single little piece of the budget apart. The 200k for tattoo removal is less than 1% of total earmarks. Having tattoos removed can actually help people get jobs if you think about it. Also, sometimes your network spins it so it seems like Dems spend more. The breakdown is as follows for the current budget. Per member 10.9 million per Republican and 11.4 million per Dem. While they do spend a little more they have 100 more members in the House than the Rs.
- Jim: Once again people are making comments about something they know nothing about. If they think swine odor is not a problem, they need to take a trip to one of these areas. It is a major problem in areas where swine are being raised. There are two options, one is to invest in trying to eliminate the problem, and the other is to eliminate pork from our food chain. Oh there is another option, we can turn over the business of raising swine to Europe or Asia, and we know how well that has worked for this country in other areas. How foolish one can appear; when they speak about something they know nothing about.
The viewers above are both in favor of “pork” projects. What do you think about their arguments that these projects are only a small part of the budget and that all citizens benefit from them? Let us know how you feel about such earmarks.
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Chuck, you, with your medical degree, can't understand how those that pay nothing will be getting a tax break????? Here's how......those people will be receiving checks from the Federal Government......like, uh, increasing their WELFARE payments.......that's how.......
I can't believe CNN is not repremanding Goesgen's outrageous Tea Party coverage. She was not a reporter, but a lady w/ her own polarizing agenda. I am a Dem who attended T Party to let my ligitimate concerns be voiced. Government spending is out of control, their PC phrases, so many of our constituional rights are being taken away, little by little. I could go on and on w/ a list of concerns. I view American Morning and Lou Dobb regularly plus all specials. However, I did go back this Friday morning and watch Fox and Friends where the reporting and topics were engaging and thoughtful. Bye Bye CNN
It is just funny. Foxx (NEWS?) would not cover the protests again IRAQ, they said a protest was not news.
I am sure 99% of the attendees at yesterday "tomfoolery Party' did not know and fully understood the meaning of the first T party held in Boston . The attack politics not working. The racism is not working either, it is time to behave as if we are all in the enlightened age. The stone age behaviour is decadent. stinky and foolish . With eight years gone down the drain and ex amount of $$$ to follow in Bush 's reign you hypocrites all kept your bocas closed. The cry of socialism , communism and fascism is better off in books than trying to position it in this country. Silly headlines outpoured by silly and narrow brain dead right wingers. Stop wasting your adrenalin
employees of cnn start looking for a new job, your at the bottum of the food chain after last nights show on the TEA PARTY in Chicago keep it up cnn&msn
I am amazed to see how the media reported on the Tea Party gatherings. The people that attended may be the only true Americans that understand what this country stands for. The rest, and the media, will end up standing behind them when everything falls to apart. But wait, that would be asking the "Right Wing Extremists, NRA Members, Vets and peaceful protesters" to protect them and help them understand what went wrong.......da!
Maybe if people participating in the tea parties had been illegals and/or minorities voicing their outrage, CNN and other newscasts would have spend more time on reporting instead of just considering it "not real news" and a right wing movement!
I am a registered independent who is soooooooo tired of hearing about President Bush!! That was then, this is now. Can't we show respect for other political views.........you know, the old I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it????
None are so blind as those who refuse to see.
President Obama was handed a run away locomotive when he took over the job of turning our economy around. Dick Chaney, who was running things behind our figure head of a president, raped the world through his manipulations and gleaned the profits from Iraq through Halliburton, that is my opinion. The republicans are trying in every possible way to discredit President Obama, instead of working with him. The tea party was a joke, a bad joke. Our president has had less than 100 days and has done wonders so far. If he does not spend the money, there will be no America left, except the rich and the have nots.
Oh my gosh. When I saw Susan acting so combative at that tea party I was stunned. She didn't let anyone answer her questions because she was in debate mode and wouldn't listen like a journalist should. Very embarrassed for her. These people want less government. Her saying Illinois will get 50 million is exactly what they are protesting. It's too much and will inevitably require someone to pay it back, most likely us. She should appologize for calling those people names and saying it was promoted by fox. I am definately going over to another network.
I am disappointed in CNN's coverage of the Tea Parties, and of their reporters obviously biased comments during their "reports." CNN seems to be signing on to the administrations efforts to totally control the press and other means of communications that try to provide the truth to the public. More and more rules are being passed or are being considered which will limit or make people think twice about voicing their opinions. Control the process of disseminating information and you control the people. These Tea Parties were not just about taxes; but, more importantly, about big government infringing on personal rights while not doing its real job of protecting the Nation.
Funny how these people mobilized this "tea party" about taxes, but were silent and invisible when under the previous regime those at the top were barely taxed at all uinder the misguided notion there would be trickle down. These same people didn't mobilize against an ill-advised "war" in Iraq which has spent/wasted gazillions of $, not to mention the lives lost. It seems these neo-cons/repubs/concervatives have completely forgotten about the last years 8 years, and the policies/lack of policies under Bush that got us in this mess. Drastic times result in drastic measures. However, if you believe that the lesser of two evils is still evil, I'll take spending to get us out of this mess, versus continuing the very behavior that got us here to begin with. Bottom line...none of us, average Joe/Jill citizen, pundits, "experts" paraded daily on news shows knows what's going to happen. But...at least we have a president who's trying to do "something" versus one who did nothing but squeal about terrorists and his "war on terror" which have spent a surplus into the biggest deficits in the history of this country.
I am also a DEM. The people are seriously being misled! Just a though ...REPUBLICANS!! Undo what this admin. is doing and legalize the cannabis that was wrongfully stripped from the American people and go for the NRA.... Start with these three areas, and you just may win back your office! Someone needs to be in charge that knows what they are doing here! HECK ..my vote is LOU DOBBS for 2012! We are against what is actually ...truthfully going on! This IS our money and our kids' money that is getting squandered!
Send in the CLOWNS!
Can you say biased? CNN and the left-wing socialist media can continue to ignore and/or bury the story, but future election results will not. Wake up America. It’s not just about taxes, it’s about the freedoms you currently enjoy. This nation will soon follow in the footsteps of Jim Jones and the Guyana massacre. Keep drinking the Kool-Aid folks…..
I understand the frustration of people on taxes, deficit spending, etc. However, both presidents (Bush & Obama) have told us that the economy is on the verge of collapse and that the government has had to step in to avert a "catastrophe."
This is akin to getting emergency treatment at the hospital. No one in such a situation would say, "I can not afford to pay, so just let my body fail." These Tea Party events are like having protests outside the operating room and expecting the surgeon to stop the operation!
Certainly, the long-term goal is to end the deficits and balance the budget. For that to happen, we first need to stablize the economy, bring two wars to a close, create a better tax system, streamline health care and end the abuse of the middle class by unscrupulous corporate opportunists.
It took decades to create the present situation. If in ten years, we only have the Bush deficit to deal with, then I would say we have been successful. I would add, that if the Tea Party people do not like deficits, then they should pony up and get rid of them! Also, I noticed they had no qualms staging their protests in places paid for by government spending!
ok... here's my problem. I am not by any means, a math grasper (much less wiz!) but if someone already pays no income tax... how do they get a tax break? How does one reduce zero? How, exactly, does someone who doesn't pay income tax get a further reduction in their nonexistant tax? I have seen,realized, and felt this tax relief in my last paycheck. I work hard for my <50k income, 6+ days a week. I am college educated, and a medical professional ( who MAY save the life of one of those who screams the loudest, at any given moment). MY tax relief IS real, though modest. Why does helping my family somehow mean someone who pays nothing pays less than nothing?
on the one side, you have the republicans throwing a tantrum because they are not in power. and on the other side you have citizens not understanding that bailouts and stimulas costs us far less then a collapse of our currency, or a great depression. the US dollar bloated from the trade of global oil, is one balloon we really should not want to ever see Pop. (3-5 trillion is less of a hole then 50+ trillion)
what these slash and burn advocates need to understand, is that their is less painful ways down.
When people stand up and say we want change and are willing to pay any price to accomplish it, they are called progressive. When people stand up and say we want fiscal accountability by our elected officials and we don't want higher taxes, they are branded as "Right Wing Extremists".
The road that the president and congress have chosen, leads directly to European style SOCIALISM. And that my fellow Americans will destroy the foundation of this nation.
As a former Marine, I took an oath to defend the CONSTITUTION against all enemies, foreign AND DOMESTIC. Any group of people who are trying to subvert the constitution and destroy the foundation of this nation, fall into the catagory of domestic enemies.
NO MATTER WHAT THEIR POSITION IN THE GOVERNMENT IS!
In my humble opion,
'The Tea Parties' looked alot more like a campaign by Fox to show advertisers how much 'influence' they can provide.
I was disappointed this morning when your commentator referred to the tea parties as "sophmoric" I didn't appreciate the opinion from a reporter. I have seen many other protests covered by the media without that type of commentary.
Impose a National Sales Tax and get rid of the tax table. Lots of economist are saying that this is unfair to the low income earners, however, I beg to differ. We see lots of low income earners who prioritize their spending in making sure they have the latest bling around their neck, cell phone with email/text messaging, brand new car or worse a V6-V8 SUV, a (or two) cart full of groceries and all while living in a public assisted housing. If they can afford the items then tax it, if not sure will think twice about spending money on those luxury items. President Obama's idea of taxing the higher incomes to support those who splurge makes me just want to work the minimum hours and not do overtime anymore – let the company spend more money and hire more workers to do my job.
In my humble opinion. The "Tea Party" would be better served by not just saying the Administration is doing things wrong, BUT, to state what the Administration should be doing to correct the country's problems.
Providing a solution to a problem is far better than simply protesting against a problem. This is not rocket science.
I say, come forward with a solution or shut up....Or the old favorite....Love it or leave it.