The Government Has The Power

CNN Political Producer Shannon Travis wrote an article called “Reid: ‘Country doesn’t care much about the Tea Party,’ cites new CNN poll.” The article was about the public’s opinion on the Tea Party. Travis said that the opinion of the Tea Party is progressively getting worse and worse. The article characterizes Tea Party members as radical, unrealistic, and unreasonable. The article continues talking about how Democrat and Republican leaders are having trouble figuring out how to fund the federal government for the rest of the year. There is an ongoing debate between the Democrats and Republicans as they are trying to decide what cuts to make. The Tea Party is being blamed for the extreme cuts over the spending budget. The historical agent of this article who is frequently quoted is the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He is referred to as “the most powerful man in the Senate.” His title alone lends to his credibility and authenticity on the subject. Being an active participant in the government allows him to decide how Americans view the Tea Party now and in history in the future. This article supports Loewen’s claim regarding the problem of historical agency. Loewen states, “current textbooks continue to pay overwhelming attention to the actions of the executive branch of the federal government” (220). This article and subject gets immediate attention simply because it is related to the government and therefore the public believes this is what is really important and what makes history. The general public has easy access to this article. They could read it, recognize the title of the person making the claims, and believe them. This article lacks the necessary analysis that Loewen believes is crucial to telling the whole truth about history. It is very one-sided stating that the Tea Party is the enemy. However, Travis stated, “What Reid did not mention is that the Tea Party’s unfavorable rating somewhat mirror those for the Democratic and Republican parties.” Another example contributing to Loewen’s argument is in the history textbook, The American Pageant. This textbook gives multiple examples demonstrating how the government dictates what the general public opinion is. One is example is on page 894 saying, “the “Voice of America,” authorized by Congress” (894). The voice of the citizens in America in the news and in textbooks is actually the voice of the government.

Just thought I would also add that Senator Reid also said, “If people want to move the country forward, they can’t let the Tea Party call the shots.” I think I see traces of Hayek and Hegel in this quote.