I remember the first time I was the focus of a news story. I watched it on TV and asked myself if the reporter and I had experienced the same event.
That was many decades ago, but I’m having serious deja vu as I read essays and tweets coming from America’s political right. Their characterization of Tuesday night’s actions in Austin illustrate a warped reality field.
Yes, I know, I know. Many folks have been saying similar things for years. But it’s when you have personal experience that you truly understand the distortion.
First up, opinion polls on 20 week abortion bans
As I wrote last night, the National Journal completely misrepresents the results of its own paid-for survey when claiming that “most” American support banning abortions after 20 weeks.
Along for that miscall: HotAir, NewsBusters, The Weekly Standard and WeaselZippers (?).
Next, opinion polls on SB5
"The diehards in the crowd shouted loudly to kill [#SB5] that the majority wants. They will not prevail for long." http://t.co/HUNWGlVquE
— Daniel A. Laprea (@DanielLaprea) June 28, 2013
Ah, grasshopper, you might want to check out actual research. From June 20:
A majority of Texans oppose the legislation currently being considered by the legislature that imposes restrictions on abortion and 80 percent do not want abortion to be raised during the special session of the legislature called at the end of May by Governor Rick Perry.
You see, 74% of folks in Texas (margin of error of +/- 4.0%) believe that “personal, private medical decisions about whether to have an abortion should be made by a woman, her family, and her doctor, not by politicians.”
That’s 3-outta-4.
The last time I checked, 26% isn’t a majority.
More reactions to this week’s action in Austin via Storify
Known for gnawing at complex questions like a terrier with a bone. Digital evangelist, writer, teacher. Transplanted Southerner; teach newbies to ride motorcycles. @kegill (Twitter and Mastodon.social); wiredpen.com