The NYT finally got something right! Tea Partiers are being heard!

As most of you know, this past Thursday, April 15th, was tax day. About two years ago there was a protest in Washington D.C. and this group called themselves the “Tea Party.” The symbolism behind this was and is dating back to the Boston tea party when American colonists were fed up with extreme taxes put upon them by the British government. The rationale behind the modern-day tea party protests seems to be legitimate. However, there are those who insist that the Tea Partiers are the following: obnoxious, racist, unrealistic, and uneducated. To those of you that believe this, I am here to counter your argument.

Let us take a look back at why the American people are mad. This all started back during the Clinton Administration, then moved to the Bush Administration, and now the Obama Administration. (I am going to focus more on the Bush and Obama Administrations). Obviously, people are mad that during the Bush Administration there was too much spending with war and at the end, the bailouts (there were other things but I am only focusing on economic policies). Better yet, at the end of the Bush Administration, it was officially announced that we are in an economic recession. We saw the recession as a horrible economic collapse and then we watched Bush bailout the banks and auto industries because those companies were “to big to fail.” As a side note, the bailouts have totaled $8.5 Trillion (this continues into the Obama Administration). Now, during the Obama Administration, nothing has changed, unlike the promise of “change” we expected. Obama is Bush on steroids and has spent even more! The bailouts have continued, a stimulus package has been passed (total, $3.27 Trillion) and a healthcare bill has passed (total $894 Billion*). Mind you, this is all during a recession and the unemployment rate still around 10% (http://www.google.com/publicdata?ds=usunemployment&met=unemployment_rate&tdim=true&dl=en&hl=en&q=unemployment+rate).

There are other reasons why people are mad but once again, I am focusing on the economy. The Tea Party protests are trying to get a message across to our elected leaders that this mass amount of spending is getting a bit ridiculous. Economists on both the left and the right can debate all day long on what this spending and bills will do to the taxes. Personally, I believe this will end up raising our taxes. But the real question is: are these people who show up to these protests uneducated? Not according to the New York Times. I will admit that sometimes people do spell things wrong on their signs and posters but that happens in most protests regardless of the issue. In Thursday’s paper (check out the link), they explain these “Tea-baggers” are actually MORE EDUCATED. Mind you, the NYT is one of the most liberal papers in the country and yes, sometimes I do read it but I have learned to filter it. But here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/15/us/politics/15poll.html?ref=todayspaper

As most of you know, I attended a Tea Party protest on Thursday in Rochester, New York. I thought there were only about 450ish people but I heard on the local news that there were actually around 1000 people. That is a good showing seeing that Rochester’s Tea Party was organized the New York state libertarian party. But the Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester’s newspaper had a very good article in Friday’s paper: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100416/NEWS01/4160351/-1/archive1/Tea-Party-helps-to-revive-N.Y.-Conservative-Party Check it out if you get a chance.

I think that some media outlets and those who do not actually know what the Tea Parties are actually about are using scare tactics claiming all of the above problems. Isn’t that funny how the media outlets and those who are truly uneducated can say a group or political party is using scare tactics but when they do that nobody questions them? Seems a bit contradictory to me. I think the real problem the media has and those who just do not know and only listen to the media, is that they are actually scared because these Tea Parties are being heard and they are a strong force. Those who do not like the Tea Parties realize that the mid-term elections are coming up quickly and these protesters can change the outcome of some elections. I suppose we are going to have to wait and see what happens.

1991, 1992, 2004, and 2010.

After taking a long hiatus from blogging, I am back and trust me, I have plenty to say. For those of you that know me, you know that I am huge Duke Blue Devils fan. For those of you that did not know that, you know now. Anyways, after Monday night’s National Championship game against Butler I have been reading and watching a lot of sports commentator’s responses to the game. I am going to set the record straight right now and do what sports commentators refuse to do.

Being a Duke fan, I may have a slight bias. However, many casual sports fans and the people that get paid to watch and comment on major sporting events get many things wrong! Maybe there is just a lot of hate on Duke or on any of the big name schools or teams that get to the championship game when their opponent is the “underdog.” Granted, everyone does seem to like the underdog story or the “Cinderella” story. But, I am fed up with it.

Monday night, Duke won the National Championship game. Butler lost. Butler should have lost that game. Butler should have lost to Syracuse, but Syracuse seemed to choke when it counted most. Don’t get me wrong, I was rooting for Butler until they played Duke. When a team reaches the Championship, or any game for that matter, they either win or lose; both teams cannot win the game. Butler deserved to play in the National Championship game because they were playing fantastic basketball. So to you casual fans and “sport experts,” they were not a “Cinderella” story because they won 25 consecutive games to get there! Butler was a good team. Duke was better.

During the game, it was pretty obvious that the NCAA did not want Duke to win. I am not trying to imply that Butler was not playing good, because they were. I am simply saying that the refs for the game were awful! They gave Butler a lot of calls. Re-watch the game if you don’t believe me. As for the last shot, I personally had no doubt that that shot was not going in. I knew it was going to be off. When Duke stormed the court there were smiles all around the Duke team and fans. On the other side, Butler, there were tears of disbelief and sorrow. Guess what sport commentators, Duke won the game and Butler lost. Cinderella missed her carriage.

Butler lost. Butler did not get a moral victory or any other type of ‘W.’ I know that the sport experts are supposed to make story out of these situations. But where is the credit to Duke? You can look at various sport websites and television stations and all you will hear them talk about is how Butler was that close to winning; or, how Butler won for all of those small schools and underdogs out there. Actually, Butler lost. Yes, they were close but close does not win you games. Am I happy that Butler lost? Of course, but that could be because I am a Duke fan. However, it seems like one would never know that Duke won the championship because nobody is giving them credit! Last time I checked, we are supposed to congratulate those who win a major event like that. I realize that UNC fans probably won’t say “Congrats Duke.” But I think Duke needs to be recognized as the winner of the NCAA Championship game.

As for Butler, they played a good game. Better luck next year. However, this does go to show that in the NCCA tournament bracket, anything can happen. Go Duke!