The BBC completely fails to understand the Tea Party movement

[Big Don]

The BBC completely fails to understand the Tea Party movement



By Janet Daley World Last updated: September 7th, 2010
Telegraph.co.uk EXCERPT

With the smug incomprehension in which it takes so much pride (can’t understand – won’t understand!), the BBC sets about the American Tea Party Movement as if it were a cross between the Klu Klux Klan and the German neo-fascist brigade. Not once in all the demonic depictions I have seen and heard (last week’s Newsnight package was particularly outrageous) have I heard a mention of what the TPM is actually about: taxation. (Note to BBC editors: the movement is named after the Boston Tea Party because it is protesting about the imposition of higher federal taxes and over-weening controls on citizens who believe their voices have been ignored.)
The British generally and the BBC in particular have a real problem understanding the obsessive suspicion in which the power of central government is held in the US. This is not some funny redneck eccentricity: it is fundamental to the Constitution which gives individual states much greater sovereignty than the countries of the European Union enjoy.
END EXCERPT

the BBC sets about the American Tea Party Movement as if it were a cross between the Klu Klux Klan and the German neo-fascist brigade.

Just like the American media (and a number of posters here...)do

 

[geezer]

The British generally and the BBC in particular have a real problem understanding the obsessive suspicion in which the power of central government is held in the US. This is not some funny redneck eccentricity...

Don't sweat it Don. The Brits didn't understand the first "Tea Party" either. Not till too late anyway.

 

[Touch Of Death]

The BBC completely fails to understand the Tea Party movement



By Janet Daley World Last updated: September 7th, 2010
Telegraph.co.uk EXCERPT

With the smug incomprehension in which it takes so much pride (can’t understand – won’t understand!), the BBC sets about the American Tea Party Movement as if it were a cross between the Klu Klux Klan and the German neo-fascist brigade. Not once in all the demonic depictions I have seen and heard (last week’s Newsnight package was particularly outrageous) have I heard a mention of what the TPM is actually about: taxation. (Note to BBC editors: the movement is named after the Boston Tea Party because it is protesting about the imposition of higher federal taxes and over-weening controls on citizens who believe their voices have been ignored.)
The British generally and the BBC in particular have a real problem understanding the obsessive suspicion in which the power of central government is held in the US. This is not some funny redneck eccentricity: it is fundamental to the Constitution which gives individual states much greater sovereignty than the countries of the European Union enjoy.
END EXCERPT
Just like the American media (and a number of posters here...)do

Truth be told the English Tea was cheaper than the American Tea. The Boston Tea Party was more about protectionism than high taxes. And yes, it was without representation, but protectionism sparked the revolt.
Sean

 

[FieldDiscipline]

I wouldn't let the BBC worry you. Their impartiality was gone a long time ago. All for the left - that's them IMO.

 

[seasoned]

It will all be much clearer come November.

 

[CoryKS]

Why would the BBC or anyone else in Europe be expected to understand the Tea Party movement?

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I'd kind of like to know what the Tea Party Movement does believe.

I checked my local chapter and they say: "We are a watchdog organization with the long-term goal of protecting the Constitution through education, community involvement, and active participation in the political process."

Well, that's nice. I'm trying to think of any group that doesn't want that. But what does it mean?

Then I went to Tea Party Patriots (are they the 'real' Tea Party or not?) and they say they're for:

Fiscal Responsibility
Constitutionally Limited Government
Free Markets

That sounds pretty good too.

But in Temecula, CA, the media has reported that a Tea Party rally was held to protest the building of a mosque.

What has that to do with fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, or free markets? I'm a little unclear on that one. Somebody explain that one to me?

Montana's Tea Party is apparently going through some perturbations because one of their leaders was 'dismissed' for making what some considered to be anti-gay remarks about Matthew Shepard on his Facebook page. This is fiscal, constitutional, and free market how again?

In Arizona, the Tea Party protests illegal immigration. Again, a little unclear on how this relates to limited government, low taxes, and free enterprise.

I think the Tea Party is a general term for populist anger against whatever the outrage-du-jour happens to be.

So I'm not terribly surprised that people aren't describing it especially well. Let us know what it is, and then perhaps we can get an accurate description together.

 

[yak sao]

Don't sweat it Don. The Brits didn't understand the first "Tea Party" either. Not till too late anyway.

Crap, I was going to say that!

 

[Tez3]

Don't sweat it Don. The Brits didn't understand the first "Tea Party" either. Not till too late anyway.

What did you expect of public school boys?

 

[yorkshirelad]

I wouldn't let the BBC worry you. Their impartiality was gone a long time ago. All for the left - that's them IMO.

I've said this so many times before and each time various members of this forum have tried to dispute it. I speak to people in the UK all the time and they are convinced that anything remotley considered conservative in the US is the devil incarnate. Most of these people get their information from the BBC. As you have said the BBC's impartiality died long ago. Journalism has been replaced by commentary.

 

[Tez3]

I've said this so many times before and each time various members of this forum have tried to dispute it. I speak to people in the UK all the time and they are convinced that anything remotley considered conservative in the US is the devil incarnate. Most of these people get their information from the BBC. As you have said the BBC's impartiality died long ago. Journalism has been replaced by commentary.

However it could also be true that the BBC simply doesn't understand the Tea party thing, I for sure don't. I don't think the BBC is so much left leaning as perhaps it appears, I think it's more out of touch and thinks it has to dumb down everything for people. It talks down to viewers and gone are the intelligent programmes to be replaced by soundbites. It's interesting to note that both sides, left and right, complain of its bias towards the other though.

 

[Sukerkin]

Just goes to show the truth of the old aphorism about opinions .

I happen to think that the BBC is more Right Wing than anything else, with a leavening of social conscience written in that those accusing it of Left Wing bias seize upon.

Apart from a couple of stand-out journalists, like Paxman for example, the BBC has come to be a mouth-piece for whatever spin the politicians in power want to propogandise us with.

That is with regard to home news of course. When it comes to international news I think that it is much less 'biased' than any other news source I can think of, primarily because it does not have to be 'commercially successful'.

My views on the Tea Party? It's so right wing it can only turn in one direction when it flies - inherently a flawed design, just like a mirror image of the CCCP.

 

[yorkshirelad]

My views on the Tea Party? It's so right wing it can only turn in one direction when it flies - inherently a flawed design, just like a mirror image of the CCCP.

And how did you form that opinion?

 

[girlbug2]

We like tea. So do the Brits. What's to understand?

 

[seasoned]

Freedom of speech, nothing else to understand.

 

[Touch Of Death]

We like tea. So do the Brits. What's to understand?

The price of tea in China, of course.
Sean

 

[Touch Of Death]

Freedom of speech, nothing else to understand.

How is that related to the Tea party movement?
sean

 

[Sukerkin]

And how did you form that opinion?

Mostly by listening to you fellows here I must admit .

 

[Bill Mattocks]

IMHO, the Tea Party doesn't know what it is, so it's a bit naff to expect anyone else to.

 

[crushing]

Mostly by listening to you fellows here I must admit .

By "you fellows" do you mean 2 or 3 specific people?