The Debates- 2012

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by AGDee

ETA: And I'm sick of both sides spouting off these lame stories about the people they've met around the country. I thought after Joe the Plumber they would stop that crap, but they continue on. It's ridiculous to think that any of those stories are going to change anything or make them seem like "real" people. Nobody in politics at that level are average US citizens.

You're completely missing the point of why they do that. It's not to portray politicians as avergage people, but rather to show that they understand average people's concerns and that average people are the driving force(s) behind the politicians' policy proscriptions.

Public "faces" humanize the policy or program that they're talking about. After all, we all know, or think we do, somebody who's be affected or would positively be affected by the policy in question.

We were taught this day 1 in journalism school -- "show, don't tell," but it works in politics, too. People (and voters) respond/empathize when they see direct impact (human interests) of policy.

[PM_Mama00]

A FB friend just posted this status:

Really,with all the crap going on in the country you people are focused on Big Bird? How many of you have actually donated to PBS? Sad, sad, sad.

She's right. Our fire and police forces are shrinking. There's so much corrupt activity in our governments. Detroit is falling apart second by second. People are losing their jobs. Soldiers are losing their lives. People are going broke trying to pay for healthcare and people are dying who can't afford healthcare.

And the country is worried about Sesame Street. I'm a fan of PBS. A Phi Mu is/was the President. I loved Sesame Street growing up and I like the concerts they show. No, I have never donated (I won't get into that). But the fact is, it's a cost that can be cut. If there are enough people in the country who really care that it's on the air, they'll donate. Hell there are enough celebrities making MILLIONS firing off about it. Why don't they donate enough to keep it afloat without government help? I don't know how much money it takes to keep PBS around, but I'm sure that money can be used elsewhere to help mankind.

That's just my rant on that topic. I understand that it adds to the "evilness" of Romney and it's somewhat symbolic on his stances, but come on. Fight and preach about something more important. Big Bird will find another way to live on. The person living under the overpass on I-75 because he lost his job and is too old or inexperienced to find another one won't.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

A FB friend just posted this status:

Really,with all the crap going on in the country you people are focused on Big Bird? How many of you have actually donated to PBS? Sad, sad, sad.

She's right. Our fire and police forces are shrinking. There's so much corrupt activity in our governments. Detroit is falling apart second by second. People are losing their jobs. Soldiers are losing their lives. People are going broke trying to pay for healthcare and people are dying who can't afford healthcare.

And the country is worried about Sesame Street. I'm a fan of PBS. A Phi Mu is/was the President. I loved Sesame Street growing up and I like the concerts they show. No, I have never donated (I won't get into that). But the fact is, it's a cost that can be cut. If there are enough people in the country who really care that it's on the air, they'll donate. Hell there are enough celebrities making MILLIONS firing off about it. Why don't they donate enough to keep it afloat without government help? I don't know how much money it takes to keep PBS around, but I'm sure that money can be used elsewhere to help mankind.

That's just my rant on that topic. I understand that it adds to the "evilness" of Romney and it's somewhat symbolic on his stances, but come on. Fight and preach about something more important. Big Bird will find another way to live on. The person living under the overpass on I-75 because he lost his job and is too old or inexperienced to find another one won't.

I think your FB friend is completely missing the point. Being worried about Big Bird, Sesame Street or PBS funding isn't the point at all. I think the point is that when Romney was asked what he would cut as non-essential in government, one of the few specifics he could name was PBS, which gets a relatively infinitesimal share of government funding. That he said "I like Big Bird, but . . ." gave it a hook.

I think the "Save Big Bird" hoopla isn't really about PBS at all. (I'll admit, though, that some over-eager Romney-is-Evil folks might make it about PBS.) It's a stand-in for what some people perceive as Romney's lack of specifics on what he would do or how he would do it. It's not that with all the crap going on in the country, people are worried about Big Bird; it's that with all the budgetary crap going on in the country, one of the only concrete solutions Romney could give was to stop funding Big Bird, which would solve nothing.

[AGDee]

Tony- I get the point of it. I don't think it is effective. I think it is old and tired.

MC- I agree. I see the T_witter trending and Facebook comments about Big Bird to be more facetious than anything.

I do donate to PBS every year and think that it is important to have a public broadcasting television service that doesn't pander to advertisers. They are a breath of fresh air and the ONLY station I can get in when my cable is out. I do see a lot more spending on other things that I think is unnecessary.

I also think it was symbolic of the "war" on teachers and health care reform and all these things that are only there for the betterment of our society as a whole.