Grassroots movements such as TEA — an acronym for Taxed Enough Already — are an enigmatic yet necessary dynamic in the political sphere of America. Feeding and growing in the incubator of small towns filled with a passion to change the status quo, at maturity they explode upon America with the possibility of either flourishing or perishing. Media is often a facilitator (or inhibitor) to their success.
As for TEA, it appears to have a worthy cause — with red-blooded Americans as followers who have had enough of the Obama administration’s management of their tax dollars. These folks are rightly shocked over how their hard-earned dollars are used to bail out an insidious corporate America, or even irresponsible homeowners.
So far, TEA has associated groups in 300 cities and counting, with peaceful demonstrations thus far. Besides public protests, such as that in Chicago in late February of this year, supporters of this movement are planning to mail pictures of tea bags on Tax Day to the president as a reminder of the iconic Boston Tea Party.
With large public protests under the movement’s belt, you would expect more attention from the media, irrespective of ideological differences. Although, as exemplified with both the Bush and Obama administrations, Americans have been struck with the reality that what should be covered by the Fourth Estate as part of the public interest has been thrust into the realm of an unrealistic idealism.
The fact of the matter is, although with slight contention, Obama still has a relatively high approval rating at this stage in his term. However, Nixon and Carter had similarly high approval ratings early in their terms, only to drop to levels below those of the most humble of men.
Unfortunately, the mass media’s treatment of TEA has been trivial, painting the group as an outcast (and small) band of belligerent children. Adequate mass media coverage for the movement will only fan the flames of their opponent, because that’s how the media views them: as the enemy.
Mass media built their star. “Let him not be destroyed!” they cry of their leader, Obama. Just as the Spirit of ’76 moved the patriots of the past, the ones of today will not allow themselves to be subjected to the power of the pen, no matter who wields it.
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