I am fried from doing taxes tonight, but I hope to do a thorough takedown of Christie's "Magical Media Tour" today (brought to you from the fine folks at General Electric Comcast NBC) tomorrow.
But I can't turn in without commenting on a segment that almost had me throw my cup of green tea through the TV screen this morning around 7:40 AM:
Joe Scarborough thinks that teachers are "special interests" and not "working class Democrats" - OK, bad enough.
But here are five guys who each are, if not millionaires, then damn close, grousing that teachers, who on average in NJ make $64,500, only have to pay 1.5% to their health care.
Mike Barnicle - millionaire celebrity journalist - is just stunned that people living the NJ teacher high life on mid-five figures could get "free" (no, it's not free - more on that later) health care. Andrew Ross Sorkin, celebrity writer for the prestigious NY Times, is amazed at the incredibly sweet deal the lunch ladies of NJ (who make a lot less than the teachers, and WAY less than he does) get on health care. Joe Scarborough mocks the NJ Teacher of the Year because she dares to suggest that maybe those in NJ who share Joe's rarified air should also share in the sacrifice Christie calls for.
What a load of crap. I'll wager a pint of Guinness none of these guys has more education than I do (2 masters degrees - not atypical for an NJ teacher). I'll bet none of them would have the courage to look me straight in the eye and tell me what they do is more important than what I do. Yet they are AMAZED that I might have good benefits as a small compensation for choosing a career where I will make way less money but need more education and certification than they do.
To be clear: I don't begrudge them their success. But they sure begrudge me mine, even if it's a pittance compared to the dough they're pulling down.
Where was the countering voice to this nonsense? Where was the tough, well-informed questioning of power? It sure wasn't on Morning Joe.
Our media is a joke.
UPDATE: I'm not the only Jersey boy angry with Sorkin.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Sorry, spammers have forced me to turn on comment moderation. I'll publish your comment as soon as I can. Thanks for leaving your thoughts.