News Roundup for 4/15/09

Don't tread on my tea bag!

-Headline of the day-
"Sorry, Tea Party Movement, Polls Say Americans Don't Mind Taxes."

Another crushing blow to the teabaggers protesting taxes today is that, despite all the histrionics their part, no one else actually cares. Turns out a new Gallup poll shows that a majority of respondents -- 51% -- say their tax rates are either "about right" or "too low." 46% say that taxes are "too high." The polling organization calls this "one of the most positive assessments Gallup has measured since 1956."

When it comes to other people's taxes, however, opinions shift. They're OK with the tax rates for the middle- and lower-income groups, but think the wealthy aren't taxed enough. According to the report, "60 percent of Americans think [the wealthy are] under-taxed, 23 percent think they pay their fair share, and 13 percent feel that they are overburdened." These are the people Obama will raise taxes on, which is pretty bad news for the teabaggers.

Meanwhile, another dose of reality undercuts the anti-Obama nature of these protests -- the taxes they're paying today are on income from last year. If they've got a problem with the taxes they're paying, they can go ahead and burn Bush in effigy. Obama's giving the vast majority of teabaggers a big, fat tax cut next year.

But, by all means, go ahead and put on your Minuteman costumes and make big fools of yourselves. You're probably doing President Obama and the Democrats in Congress a huge favor. (US News & World Report)


-More fun with polls-
Teabaggers can't catch a break today, as a new Marist poll finds that "more Americans -- 49% -- see the country moving in the right direction compared with 40% who think things are heading the wrong way." Worse, when the numbers are reduced to only registered voters, a majority --52% -- say the country's getting back on track.

Republicans find themselves once again outside the mainstream, as 63% believe the country's headed in the wrong direction.

Catch the anti-government fever! (Marist, via Political Wire)


-Bonus HotD-
"Because Everything Is Always About Abortion."

The right wing has a real talent for inapt analogies. Take the wingnut Family Research Council's view on Barack Obama, the once-captive Capt. Richard Phillips, and Somali pirates.


The President moved heaven and earth to protect an American captive while turning a deaf ear to the cries of the unborn. At FRC, we remind the President that every life -- whether in the belly of a life raft or the womb of its mother -- deserves this same level of protection from their government.


Maybe FRC missed the "level of protection" the government provided for Capt. Phillips -- the pirates were shot in the head by Navy SEAL snipers. Seems a little excessive as a way to "protect the unborn," don't you think? Frankly, I think both the woman and the fetus would probably die from that. The "protect" part of this whole plan needs a little work.

Of course, I suppose that a "pro-life" group could be advocating that Barack Obama authorize Navy SEAL snipers to shoot abortion providers in the head, but they wouldn't do that.

Would they? (Right Wing Watch)