Thursday, August 23, 2012

We Built This!

From Indecision Forever:
When Barack Obama uttered the "You didn't build that!" heard 'round the world last month, he probably thought that he was making a really good point about the interconnectedness of private business and public works, when what he really was doing was helping the Republican National Convention name its events
The GOP is turning what some see as a presidential slight aimed at business owners and entrepreneurs into a theme for a night of the Republican National Convention next week, titling Tuesday night’s session "We Built This!"

The theme and list of speakers are meant to directly contrast comments President Obama made in Roanoke, Virginia last month. Describing what he noted as the federal government’s role in helping the private sector, the president pointed to infrastructure and education.

Do I even need to tell you this next part?
[T]he stadium where the GOP will be announcing "We Built This!" was financed primarily by the government. The Tampa Bay Times Forum arena, which houses the Tampa Bay Lightning, was built in 1996 as the "Ice Palace" with 62% government funds. The total budget for the project was $139 million, of which public money accounted for $86 million and team money accounted for $53 million.

Funny, isn't it? But I'm wondering how Republicans think they can get away with basing their entire campaign on a lie. Don't they expect anyone in the news media will call them on it?

Of course, Fox 'News' is working hard to help push the lie, but their viewers aren't going to vote for Barack Obama, anyway. And what about legitimate news sources? Are Republicans so certain that the mainstream media won't call them on this?

They'd have to be, wouldn't they? After all, it's so very, very easy to demonstrate what a brazen, baldfaced lie this is. I just don't get it. It seems completely insane, unless the GOP is sure that journalism is dead in America.

I  hope they're being overconfident, I really do.

2 comments:

Jeff said...

GOP: We Built This:

http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ1_JgpHen7gwPT7zunuL4UktKYY8QmwJ-IFnnFM7VpLNerYDHW

About my "Parsons" quote from "1984" the other day, I think I've discovered what "Jody P's" last name is.

The next time you're on the LJS comments board, try that on him just to see how he reacts....if he even "gets" the comparison. :)

Bill Garthright said...

Heh, heh. Nice, Jeff! I should have used that image to illustrate this post.

But note that I haven't been reading or commenting much at the Lincoln Journal-Star, not since they limited free access. I read the headlines, but that's usually about it.