Paper continues to promote fake bus tour farce

You can’t pay for advertising like this.

For the second time in less than two weeks, the Livingston County Daily Press and Argus has chosen to promote the anti-Obama and anti-Democratic “Tea Party” bus tour coming to Brighton on Tuesday, but this time its on the front page with a photo. It’s not like they don’t have the money to throw the paper a bone for all the free publicity.

The people putting on the Astroturf farce - “Our Country Deserves Better PAC (OCDB)” formed in August 2008 by veteran Republican California political consultant Sal Russo and former GOP California Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian - have plenty of money to buy an ad. Plus, the health insurance lobby is spending $1.4 million a day to protect their huge profits.

Having worked in the P & A newsroom and knowing both reporters, I’m amazed they didn’t at least talk to each other or compare notes. The Aug. 28 story at least mentioned who was behind the farce, but Sunday’s story does not. To make it even more outrageous is he only talks to Republicans - and all party officials - who then float the stale old lie that it’s a nonpartisan event.

If it’s really nonpartisan then why not quote a Democrat? Plus, the paper is ignoring the Democratic counter rally set for Tuesday despite receiving at least one press release.

Here’s one of the story’s funnier lines:
“Several busloads of conservative activists have been making a cross-country tour that has been named after the legendary Boston Tea Party, where American colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor in protest of the British government's policy of taxing them without representation.”

First, it’s not a “busloads of conservative activists.” It’s a busload of rightwing Washington, D.C. lobbyists. Can someone please tell me how these people are taxed without representation?

Here’s another gem:
“Although local supporters said the gathering isn't a Republican rally, it's clear the event is geared toward people with conservative views on health care and government spending.”

If you see a Democrat at this fake event, other than at the counter protest, throw a net over them. That is simply another lie. The PAC’s stated mission is to “oppose Obama and the "Democratic Congress." It boasts on its web site that "we must stand up to Barack Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress." The PAC also solicits contributions by stating, "Help us fight the Democratic Congress!" That sounds like a Republican rally to me.

I know Livingston County Republican Party chair and Livingston County undersheriff Mike Murphy’s job is to spin, but he must feel ridiculous when spits out this outrageous lie:
“It's really not a Republican thing or Democratic thing," he said.” It’s a grass-roots, conservative, anti-tax thing.” Right, and I’m a conservative Republican.

Here’s another Murphy gem on health care:
“It doesn't make any sense to fix it for a small percentage of folks and burden a larger percentage of folks," he said. You need to tell that to the people with expensive coverage that are just one major illness away from bankruptcy or companies shedding health care so they can compete with countries with universal health care.

Of course, the paper could not pass up an opportunity to quote rightwing extremist Wendy Day, a member of the Howell School Board and a founding member of the defunct anti-gay hate group LOVE (Livingston Organization for Values in Education) who actually helped organize a “tea party” convention. She floats the lie even she knows is untrue:

“Day also believes independents and Democrats will attend the event.” Again, throw a net over them if you see one.

The paper then quotes retired high school teacher Irene Bescanon, who just happens to be the vice chairwoman of the Livingston County Republican Women's Club. Her quote is amazing. She has excellent health care that her union fought for, plus Medicare, but she also wants portability, meaning she wants a plan that would allow individuals to carry their insurance plans wherever they go. “She doesn't mind paying for her health care, and she wants to be able to pick her doctor.” Glad to see she supports health care reform. So why is she at the rally again? Oh yea, she’s a Republican attending a Republican anti-Obama rally.

Then Arlene Callaghan, who is - you guessed it - the outreach coordinator with the county GOP, dismissed accounts of the "tea party' as gatherings of "angry mobs." Gee, is anyone surprised she said that?

Ms. Callaghan says she just wants to have a voice.” You do, Ms. Callaghan, it’s called a vote, and the people used their voice to sweep your party out of office last November.

So remember, The Livingston County Democratic Party is planning a counter protest to the big money, Anti-Obama partisan “Tea Party Express” bus tour, so be at Mill Pond in downtown Brighton at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.